The week in Short Snatches.

When Mike left to go home last Sunday I scuttled through to my bedroom and started work. It was 7.00 pm and dark before I’d finished. I went through to the lounge to put the light on for Joey who wasn’t very approving of my being so late. He gave me quite a mouthful, the force of which made him nod his head.. I didn’t dare laugh. I mention it now because I can hear him chunnering so it must be getting dark this week too.

To ward of the berating I turned his light on. It wasn’t too dark luckily. However it doesn’t seem to have stopped him dressing in his angry hat which I suspect he wears just for me. I had no  choice but to leave him again and concentrate on the post I haven’t been able to do today. At least he’s in the light.

We lunched in Prestatyn at The CookHouse and then while walking it off afterwards bumped into Sharon, my daily ( well, my once weekly anyway) and were able to offer her a lift home. She works 364 days per year as a chambermaid with just Christmas Day off and still comes to tidy up after me (mainly Joey really) every Tuesday.

On Monday I was indoors all day as usual. I dealt with my washing and drying, did Joey’s food and water and gave him as much attention as possible in between dealing with my mail which still exceeds 300 a day.

Tuesday rose fair and bright but not until I’d already been up a few hours. It’s averaging about 2.15 am at the moment so maybe 2 hours a night. Still, I get the early morning mil out of the way. At 7.30 am I was out of the house for the bus. I always choose this one as there’s generally no-one else on for a few stops and by then I can keep my eyes close and pretend to be asleep. One day I will be and will probably sail past Yvonne and the kids in Chester and find myself back home having done the round trip. But not today.

I got off the bus at a different stop because the driver went a different way. How confusing. My pick up would still be at my usual stop though. As fast as I could I got to the place we meet and being there first lit a cigarette. I glimpsed them coming into view a little way off and his behind a bush. Yes, that probably did look weird in the middle of town. As they got close I jumped out and said ‘BOO’ then apologised to the little Japanese lady I caught. I should have known Reuben wouldn’t be in a kimono. Roobs screeched with pleasure and ran to grasp my legs. If I hadn’t been able to grasp the street ash tray it would have been Timber I was shouting. We had a good morning together but 11.30 comes far too quickly.

The journey home was more nerve wracking as there were a few passengers but pretending to be asleep put anyone off sitting near me except one woman who probably didn’t interpret the snoring properly and sat on the pocket of my jacket. She almost hatched out my tube of ‘Lockets’.

I got home and had less than half an hour before Sharon came. I did mail for the afternoon then and had my lunch after she’d gone.

On Wednesday I stayed in again. Dealt with mail and also the postman brought me a couple of coins to add to my lists. I looked through some Christmas stuff for gift ideas.

Thursday necessitated a quick trip to Pauline’s to restock the cigarettes and to get my Lottery tickets. I moved so fast Flash would be proud of me. I was back 5 minutes before I’d left….oh no, that was the clock that had stopped wasn’t it. I saw no-one except my postman until evening when Mike arrived. Tells me he’s on a new regime now so that he wants to be up no later that 8.30 am every day. He’s hoping it will bring his sleep pattern into line. Up to now a sledgehammer hasn’t managed that.

On Friday morning I didn’t get up until 2.45 am and considered that a lie in. Almost died of shock when Mike was up before 8.45 am. He must be using an alarm but I didn’t hear it. My postman came and intrigued me by bringing a letter which should have contained a coin, you could see where the pouch had been stuck to the middle of the tri fold letter. The envelope had a slit in the bottom and the coin was not there. I had to contact the seller to approach the post office. Luckily it’s not an expensive coin but it was the last this particular dealer had. I don’t want to slam him for the money back but I’m hoping it might just be found floating about a post bag or in a sorting office somewhere.

Mike returned early from seeing his Dad in Manchester and helped me wash my hair. I think it needs cutting again one last time before Winter, just like grass does.

Saturday it was another 2.45 am for me and an agonised 6.20 am for Mike even though his clock was set for 6.00 am. I wasn’t well as bronchitis has set in but I still had all the rubbish dealt with and put out for collection before he made his way through to the lounge where I’d put his coffee. We had a good shop followed by a coffee then shot over to The Range to grab a couple of things. In Flint we went to Temptations for a chin way and to give sweets to the staff before picking up some frozen food and going home. He made me put the frozen food away…with my chest….he’s all heart. After that we went to Rhyl for lunch so   he could get some specialist fish food. Back at home I worked while he watched football then we shared some TV time when I’d done.

I hope you all had a good weekend.

 

 

Have you reclaimed PPI ? & The Unicorn

Sunday 1st May.

Bed 12.15 am
Read to 1.10 am Ready for sleep.
Up at 6.18 am Miraculous.

Straight through to take my morning meds then grab a coffee to bring back. I signed into my mail and was horrified it was already over the 100 mark and the new stuff hadn’t even arrived. I got stuck in. At 7.00 am Mike’s alarm went off . It was dry outside despite the forecast but I just went through to his room and told him to turn the alarm off when it rang again. He could sleep in. By the time he got up at 9.40 am I was practically done so I let him make his own coffee and went through when I’d  done. I was tired out as though I hadn’t had my own lie-in this morning. I had to fight the idea of snoring in my chair.

There was a little mix up as to whether we were going to take some things over to Yvonne this morning, but it seemed they were going out. Then this afternoon they were going to a street fair. We could have taken the things in between their two outings but I thought that would make our timing very tight and we couldn’t enjoy a visit. Mike offered to drop them in on his way home by which time they’d be back from the fair.That was great. It was as well things worked that way as he nipped out to help the daughter of a neighbour move a piece of furniture they’d got jammed in the door. Thankfully he got dressed first.                                                                                                                   We left to go for lunch about 11.40 am  and ended up at the Bells of St Mary’s. It was good timing as they were just opening the carvery. A bit of a queue but not too bad. I’d been telling him to prepare for a shock, they’re introducing a pizza bar with help yourself salads. I should have let him sit down first. I noticed that they’re closing tomorrow until the 20th to prepare. We spent half out lunchtime speculating as to where it will go.

After lunch we headed for Prestatyn and a shop I hoped would give me some inspiration with gift ideas for my niece. It did.  I got two nice things the equivalent of the head I got Jo, only these weren’t broken yet. I thought maybe delivering by hand might prevent that from happening. Mike was asking if there was anywhere else I wanted. I answered “No thanks but I’m happy to carry on if there’s anywhere you want.” When we got back  in the car he brought us home which I thought was unlike him but when we were in the football went on and I understood. That gave me chance to work for an hour and a half though I kept nodding over the keyboard so we’ll re-assess that to an hour. When the football was over I went through and found he’d done the flowers already at half time. We started watching a Steve Martin film which would go off the minute Mike left unless he stayed till the end. He did leave at 5.20 pm so the TV went off and we carried the bags out to the car . There were quite a few and it would have made my journey on Tuesday quite difficult.

Once he’d gone, I put some episodes of NCIS on and settled until 9.00 pm. I locked Joey in, took my evening meds and came through. I went back long enough to  demolish a piece of rhubarb tart Mike had left me. I settled to work again. Another chunk. I was done with mail by 11.05 pm and able to start the blog. Early finish with luck.

Mates Day.

Teething troubles

 

Monday 2nd May.

Bed 11.55 pm                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Read till 12.45 am                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Up again at 1.53 am. I hoped to be able to try again in a couple of hours.

I found myself working until 6.51 am on the existing posts but there was a mysterious gap between about 3.00 a and 4.15 am where nothing was done though judging from the fact that the mouse was hanging off the desk until 4.15 am an attempt or two might have been made. What struck me as particularly lucky is that I hadn’t been answering a message or commenting when darkness struck or another famous ‘coded’ message might have appeared in Australia or somewhere. We’ll say there was just a Zzzz bridge between two periods of useful activity. As I finished that last period at 6.51 am, at 6.52 am new mail began to appear. I took a two minute break then jumped right back in the pool.

By 9.30 am I was stretching and pulling the ‘I’m so tired I’d better relax in the lounge’ card but that may have had something to do with HUtH being on early today. I went to watch it and only returned to work at 10.45 am. One thing I notice is that not enough people are taking advantage of the holiday to go out. The volume of mail is at an all time high today. Bargain Hunt was on early too at midday so I gave up in here at 11.45 am and went to make myself some lunch in the shape of some very healthy beef salad baps followed by a strawberry yoghurt. Once Bargain Hunt was over I found my jeans superglued to the chair and sunk into deep thought for a way to get out.              I woke had revelations at about 2.20 pm and found my hot-bot must have melted the glue and I could move. That saved me getting a hernia trying to climb out of them where they were. I went back to the office to work yet again. I worked hard until 4.30 pm then returned to the lounge for PYMWYMI, they were in an antiques market on the Continent today and the envy was dripping from my chin. So many nice things, not too expensive and me here.One of them got a beautiful figure of a greyhound.life size for £15. I had a work break from 5.15 pm to 5.45 pm while the quiz was on then I made tea (healthy ham salad baps this time, with a rhubarb yoghurt). I watched Without a Trace then SG1 before watching Sanctuary apart from the last two minutes when Joey set up a huge racket so I have no idea who is invading who but I know it’s in Indonesia. Thanks Joey. It’s possible this was because I was due to lock his cage and say goodnight but as he was already in there when I did it I’m not sure. When I got back the in box was overflowing again. I had to ignore many of the ‘likes’ and quite a few of the reblogs where I’d seen the original. Also if people had done a lot of posts I couldn’t go through them all so I did just some of them. Sorry Peeps but I’m tired. It still took me till 10.35 pm.  This blog has been shorter than usual but has still taken till 11.20 pm. I just have to add pics and music and I can go to bed. Out in the morning.

Look of expectation.

But I’m hungry……

THEN 1960’s

Tuesday 3rd May.

Bed 11.30 pm                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Read to 12.35 am Ready to sleep.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Woke at 1.18 am and thought B*gger this for a game of soldiers, and refused to move. Up at 3.12 am. Could live with that.

Though accepting my wakefulness, I did sit on the edge of the bed for a minute or two trying to decide in which order to do things this morning. I settled on work, meds and dressed so turned on the computer and signed into my mail. 42 since I closed down last night. I had my meds and some breakfast at 5.00 am then came back to work 30 minutes later. I worked until 6.38 am when I finally finished the first batch- plus the answers they generated, and stopped to get dressed. It’s possible I won’t get more now until about 7.10 am, but they’ll have to wait until I return from Chester this afternoon.                                                                                                                                                                                I left the house at 7.30 am and walked to the bus stop. Naturally the bus beat me to it and I had to speed up but the driver was outside having a non-smoke when I got there gasping for breath. We were soon under way and I sent Yvonne a text to let her know then shut my eyes. When I arrived in Chester a couple of minutes early there was no sign of them but then got a text to say they were on the way. I walked the length of the street to meet them. I spotted Yvonne texting and guessed it was to me so got my phone out. The message said ‘Just round the corner’, I was going to text back ‘So am I’ when she saw me and laughed. Her morning crisis, she’s left her purse in Ugo’s car.

We went to get a coffee and give me chance of bladder relief which is not some new kind of health cake. any more than bladder wrack is some kind of health issue or torture, though some people may not agree with me. After coffee I had a quick look upstairs at the clothes and the bedding but didn’t see anything. I did however manage to persuade Yvonne to let me get her a couple of things downstairs.We didn’t even come to blows about it. From there we went to another shop as Reuben had been promised the chance to look for alizard. He didn’t find one but did find some Power Rangers figures instead. Another shop where we bought nothing and then a wander downstairs in a WH Smith’s where there id often a lot of clearance stock. Today was no different and I managed to get as few little things for the kids and craft stuff for Yvonne. Then Reuben saw something he wanted. Yvonne patiently explained maybe next time as he’s chosen a toy today. That got thrown to the floor, he didn’t want it now. Yvonne was very patient but the screams started so we had to take him away from the toy altogether. Up in the lift, through the shop and outside in the street the screaming persisted, though not altogether convincing but he wasn’t backing down. I was delighted to see neither was Yvonne. Eventually the tantrum ran it’s course but not before every window on the street was wide open and people leaning out wondering where they air raid siren was.                                                                                                                                                                                 He’s a beggar for trying to force your hand by playing to the crowd but I’m so proud of Yvonne for the way she handled it because all parents know how embarrassing it is when the howling starts and the world and his wife thinks the child is being mistreated rather than the parent is.

When it came time to go I was at the bus stop about a minute before the bus was due to go. It was ten minutes later I realised it had gone. RATS! I had to say my goodbye’s and walk to the main bus station to try for one of the company that has a different route and takes longer. I got there about 12.05 pm and had to wait until 12.30 pm. Fine. I got on the bus and wondered if I should have waited another 20 mins and got my usual from there. The journey wasn’t too bad but I’d done my usual hour’s journey and only got as far as Flint, and that’s where my normal bus number passed us. It took another half an hour to get home, till 2.00 pm. Lucky for me the chippy doors were still open so  I went and ordered chips, sausage and curry sauce. I told her how upset I’d been to find myself pouring gravy instead of curry sauce last time. She took it in good part. Despite an argument she charged me less and also gave me an extra sausage. I was the last customer of the lunchtime session.

I came home and ate as I was apologising to Joey for deserting him so much later than usual. Then I had to desert him again to come back to work. I worked till 4.30 pm and then again between 5.15 pm and 6.00 pm I managed to get the post down but not complete it. At 6.00 pm I put Without a Trace on but don’t remember seeing the end. I missed SG1 and also Sanctuary. It was dark when I woke and some kind of haunting thing was on. On the TV that is, not in real life. I have Joey for that. Neither of us were happy. Me because I’d missed my programmes and slept past 9.00 pm, Joey because I hadn’t put a light on so he could come out to play. I had to shut his cage door before I dared put the light on. I took my meds and came through.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          It took me until 11.15 pm to clear the accumulated mail before I could hit the blog.Consider this a late one.

Tickle Attack

Faintly amused.

FROM 1981

Still there in 2015 LIVE

Wednesday 4th May.

Bed. 12.06 am Legs slathered.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Read 1.13 am Book 4 The Burning Land and still as exciting. Fairly quickly to sleep.                                                                                                                                                                                  Up. 2.27 am  A trip to loo land then back to sign in to mail. I hoped to doze off again before breakfast.

The first round of mail kept me going until 4.50 am so that was the perfect time for breakfast and medications ( to keep The Hulk chained). At 5.20 am I thought trying for an hour in my chair was a good idea.It was an idea that didn’t come off as I remembered while I had breakfast to put the washing machine on. I returned to work after breakfast until the washer was due to finish, when I put the washing on to dry. As I was already around, I checked the post box, saw more had arrived and just sat to do it which covered me until 6.52 am. I got dressed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              At 7.00 am I sat in my chair in the lounge, stretched out my legs and closed my eyes. I must have been giving secret code signals in budge because Joey chose that exact moment to start attacking his swing which has bells on, his ladders which have bells on and in turn his two mirrors which also have bells on. All this accompanied by his rather melody free singing.  I talked gently to him and I tutted and even imitated the budgie squeaks for “Your place or mine” but I couldn’t shut him up. I had to sit it out until he went quiet. I nodded off but at 8.05 am was woken by the phone. It had to be a stranger as everyone I know avoids ringing me as I don’t answer the phone. I had to go and check for messages anyway in case it was urgent but it was  the millionth call to ask me if I’d reclaimed my PPI. Let me make this as clear as I can, SOD OFF AND LEAVE ME ALONE. Don’t call me I’ll call you (never).

I got the now dry washing out and put it on the airer. Then I returned to work to deal with the latest stuff. There was quite a lot of it but I was determined to pace myself. I paced myself up to 9.55 am then went to watch my HUtH. Joey was having a fierce argument with the bird that inhabits the big mirror. He kept rapping his beak against it but the other bird countered with precise raps of it’s own. I don’t know what he’ll do if I ever take that mirror down and replace it with a big picture instead.                                    At 11.00 am I returned to work for a while trying to clear as much as I could before lunch I finished at 11.45 am to go and start it. I was having the liver and onions today with some micro chips. It was very nice. I watched Bargain Hunt until 1.00 pm. Jade had sent a message to say she was coming today which shew changed to say she ‘d come tomorrow instead if that was OK. I had to say it wasn’t as MuJo may come Thurs or Friday and I don’t know which. So,it was change back to today again and about 1.30 pm. Fine, that would leave me clear for Dil’s arrival.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               It was 2.10 pm before she arrived and I was worried that if she did her two hours it might just conflict with Dil’s arrival. When she did arrive I said I was going to try and get my head down for a while in my bedroom because I was short on sleep. That was OK she told me. Beggar me, I’d nodded off nicely when at 2.35 pm the hoover started up outside my bedroom door. I returned to work again. At 3.30 pm Jade asked if there was anything more she could do. I should have gone and checked but I just said not if there’s nothing she could see. I passed her pay and she left. I carried on working until 4.15 pm then decided that was enough and went through. Dil arrived at 4.25 pm so I made him a cuppa before the PYMWYMI started. He’d been to see his grandson, my great nephew Nathan before coming to me. Nathan is 1 today. I’ve got his gifts here as I haven’t been able to get them to him. Lee says it’s not a problem, he can have them on 22nd when we get together for his and Karen’s birthdays. Not a solution I like but the choices are few.

When TV went off at 6.00 pm the ritual humiliation started. I was beaten 7-5 at Yahtzee. I was beaten by just one slice of pie at Trivial Pursuits and then hammered at cribbage just to put the boot in. Somebody left for home whistling. I nailed the door shut hoping he might have left his car keys behind then I went and did a quick tidy up, washed the pots, took my meds and then locked Joey in his cage. I put the landing lights on in the hall then went through to my room.                                                                                 I worked on emails until 11.00 pm then started on the blog. I intend to be in bed for midnight and will catch up on the remains of the mail in the morning.

Wide Eyed.

The slippers that tickle.

Thursday 5th May.

Bed .12.00 am                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Read 12.58 am.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Up at 2.21 am though in fairness that should read awake at followed by up at 2.33 am when I knew I wasn’t going to fall asleep again..

I can’t recall a time when I didn’t get up early. In the RAF, I never had a problem being up before the sergeant came in to suggest that we’d better be holding our socks. I suppose the only difference I can recall is that I had to get dressed early whereas now I can lounge about for hours before I need do that,unless I’m going out of course. Most of our supermarkets have a strict no pyjamas policy. Of course they don’t enforce a strict policy of battledress or best blues like the RAF did but standards are dropping everywhere. I wouldn’t mind going back to those days when I had a 28″ waist. . I still have the 28″ waist of course but now it keeps warm wrapped in another 10″of blubber. Anyhoo, back to today,I worked until glancing up at the clock it was 4.37 am. Unfortunately, what made me glance at the clock was stretching my neck after having nodded off over a hot keyboard. I don’t know how long I’d been out but I came up like  unicorn where I’d been resting my head on a pen and the skin had grown round it. I just hoped it was still the same day.

At 5.45 am I went to take my meds and get some breakfast. It was getting quite light and when I’d finished Joey had changed position in his cage so I opened his door so he could exit when ready. When I returned with a coffee, my face bearing a grin that despite the shakes here was still some coffee in the cup, I just continued where I’d left off. Post was coming in all the time, especially at the 7.10 am mark so it was 8.25 am before I had an empty mail box. I’d make an effort to keep on top of it, but for now I could get dressed ready to go to Pauline’s at 9.00 am. I want to get back as I’m expecting deliveries today with luck.                                                                                                                                   I got back from the shop and unpacked my bag. After just finishing a couple more pieces of post I headed fro the lounge to sit with Joey. If he started squawking again I was prepared to sit on him. My HUtH cme on and I was enjoying it. Naturally that meant I started to nod but I came awake with a start when I heard something. When I finally realised what it as I almost broke my neck dashing to the front door. The Postman had turned away to leave but I did the only thing I could and jumped on his back. I spent three hours explaining to the police I wasn’t trying to steal the mail. I got all the parcels I was waiting for and sat opening them while HUtH was still on. Once it was over I came through to leave feedback and to deal with any mail that had come in. I worked until 11.50 am and then being clear I could go and see to lunch. I settled on salad baps again today. My oh my, I’ll be so healthy. I must be miles ahead on the 5 a month thing now.

Following lunch and Bargain Hunt I returned to my room to see if there had been more mail. I really didn’t want to get behind today. By 3.00 pm I was clear and thought I might just treat myself to Escape from the Country. I think I got as far as Escape before my eyes went and the picture taped to the inside of my eyelids became fascinating again. My ‘Put Your Money Where  Your Mouth Is’ started at 4.30 pm but I was still practising  with the buzz saw at that point and didn’t regain consciousness until 4.43 pm. No way was I leaving the screen to come and check my monitor then.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Mike arrived for the last 15 minutes so I quickly made him a coffee so he could enjoy it. We caught up with a natter during the start of the quiz Countless which was on next. I knew I wouldn’t be returning to my room for a while yet. At 6.00 pm I turned over for Without a Trace which had quite a sad ending this time. Part way through Mike refused my offer of making him something to eat ( he’s no fool) and opted for the chippy. Let me be totally clear now, I did not have anything after showing how healthy I could eat at lunchtime. ( Just as well he hasn’t seen the last couple of days). At 7.00 pm he was back with his meal and watched The Great Antique Road Trip with me. Two good competitors and a great show.( Charles Hanson wasn’t on this one).

At 8.00 pm I channel hopped again to ‘Sanctuary’ which I’ve started following. They were being audited by a particularly unpleasant Government lackey who was making threats. How dare they threaten Amanda Tapping like that. I’d love to go and live in that house she and the others occupy. I’m guessing it must be a massive landmark in Canada though at first I thought it was a church. At 9.00 pm as it ended I went through to take my meds, locked Joey in his cage and deserted Mike. Ireturned to pay the price for being absent so long. It took until 10.57 to clear the mail and be able to start the blog. I think I’m online for an 11.45 pm finish if I’m lucky and if not a lot more mail has arrived.

Enjoying the Spring sunshine

Reuben makes a conquest. Cor…..

Friday 6th May.

Bed. 12.05 am  Mike had been talking to me bout the terrible effect the non-smoking tablets are having on him. Bad dreams and depression. I told him to stop taking them.  Read until 12.58 am was probably asleep before the light finished fading after I switched it off.                                                                                                                                                               Up at 2.25 am. A trip to tinkle land didn’t mean I could go back to sleep where I left off. If I was having a mucky dream I’d have to catch up later.

I’d finished the first lot’The Overnighters’ by 4.15 am so went through to the kitchen to take my meds and refill the trays with another week’s worth. I thought I might as well have breakfast while I was there so toasted a bap and smothered it in butter. It was 5.00 am before I returned to my room with a coffee and started on the mail again. 5.43 am and I was clear. I was going to sit in the lounge with Joey and hopefully get the buzz saw out but I decided to search ebay for Reuben’s birthday gift. Yvonne told me he wants a giant Hulk so I’m watching one now at 12″ tall, I haven’t seen anything bigger.                                                                                                                                                                                   At 6.30 am I did go to the lounge and nodded until almost 7.15 am. Joey seemed to say “About bloody time” when I came to, but he soon kicked up a stink when I left to come back to work.  There was quite a lot in but I could only work until 8.55 am then go and make a coffee for Mike which I took through.  I was waking him early as when MuJo had arrived last week it was round about 10.00 am . I wanted him semi conscious and at least dressed before that happened. But, he did say he had a meeting to attend this morning so in fact he must have been glad to be up. He left at 10.00 am and I sat watching HUtH. When there was no message on my phone by 10.30 am I came back here and checked Facebook where John insists on messaging me. There was a message to say they weren’t coming as Muriel was unwell. I said I hoped she’d be OK and signed out.

Once 11.00 am arrived I knew I could return to work so had a blitz to bring me up to date for 11.50 am. It was time to rush and peel some sweet potatoes then but I just didn’t fancy sausages so I had corned beef, mash and beans. It was lovely. Bargain Hunt came on and I waited till it was over to settle in my chair for a kip. I only got half an hour then but it helped. I had more work in to do and I needed to go to ebay as well. Instead of watching Escape to the Country at 3.00 pm I lay on the bed for a while. I times it well as I got up at 3.55 pm which gave me time to hammer at the mail I’d received before leaving at 4.30 pm for PYMWYMI. Mike sent a message to say he was on his way back and he arrived at 6.00 pm just after the quiz. We watched Without a Trace then I went for a shower while Mike fell sleep in his chair.                                                                      After the shower I went back through and watched the rest of SG1, and Mike woke up at the end. I made us a sandwich each to eat while we watched Sanctuary. At 9.00 pm I came through to my room for the final assault. It took until 10.42 pm to finish the mail and then it was blog time. Bed by 11.30 pm.

Champion of The World

At the Farm.

Saturday 7th May.

Bed. 11.40 pm                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Read until 12.45 am sleep didn’t come easy.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Up at 3.05 am . An improvement again? 2 hours + maybe. I think I’d like to be starting this conversation  from 6 hours +.

I wonder if it might be possible to change the sleep pattern without the pressures of a deadline to keep. Perhaps I should try it for a week or so. A proper break.                          Anyhoo, I started work on the mail taking a break at 4.50 am to take my meds and get some breakfast. The time had no relevance but I’d just finished a personal message and thought it a natural break point. I returned to work at 5.20 am with a coffee for company.                                                                                                                                                                  I was up to date at 6.15 am and as Mike’s alarm hadn’t gone off I carried on with getting the rubbish and the recycling out. I came back to find an interesting post about tweaking Amazon’s listings by Nicholas C Rossis  http://nicholasrossis.me/2016/05/07/how-to-tame-amazons-algorithm-to-increase-your-sales-rank/ it made interested if a little complicated reading. I think I’m glad I don’t write any more and have to worry about things like his. I had finished reading by 6.30 am and was just waiting for the alarm so I could do coffee for Mike.

No alarm came so I guessed it hadn’t been put on last night, or been put on to go off later ( the latter proved to be the case). At 6.40 am I took a drink through and woke him. I spoke loud and long enough so that he had to form answers and therefore wake up. He did, and even got up within 5 minutes too..no reminder…no alarm…no kidding!! What’s more, we were out of the house by 7.30 am and on our way.We were out of ASDA by 9.05 am and hadn’t bothered with a drink there so that Mike could have a bacon bap at The Range. While he did so I chose a couple of throws for the two armchairs in the lounge and a cushion which I couldn’t resist even though it doesn’t match with anything at all.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          From there we drove to Flint. A walk around my favourite shop Homies got me a few items then a visit to Jolley’s next door sorted Joey out with a couple of seed bells. We took the bag back to the car, picked up the chocolates for Temptations and went for a coffee. Ceri and Kyle were on duty this morning . I ordered the drinks and passed the chocs over. Kyle took for the drinks and put the receipt on the tray so Ceri knew what to make, though she could have done it blindfold. She came over for a chat when we sat down and told us she’s handed in her notice and leaves in a month. It’s good news for her but not great for the rest of us. Most of the customers enjoy the banter with her and she does draw in custom.

After we left there we paid a visit to B&M (known as BUM Bargains) which is a great shop and even Mike bought things there too. Time was getting on now at 12.35 pm so we decided to go for lunch. A game of rock, paper, scissors , lizard, Spock ( Thanks Big Bang Theory) didn’t get us very far so we decided to stay local and go to The Bells in Holywell. It’s quite basic but it’s cheap and cheerful. After lunch I got to go to the much bigger Homies  here which was good, I managed to get a few things here as well including something no home should be without…..an extending fork.!! Great for pinching chips off someones plate in the restaurant and looking innocent.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      After that we came home, getting in about 2.00 pm. The shopping was soon put away and I came through to work. It took me to 6.00 pm to clear the mail and then when I got into the lounge I just nodded off in my chair. About 7.15 pm I made us a sandwich and got our cakes out. We watched half a DIY S.O.S and then a full one which took me up to 9.00 pm when I  went through my usual routine before coming through. It had been a beautiful day but outside it was pouring down with a lightning storm from France (Thanks a lot Mel). It took until almost 11.00 pm to deal with the mail before starting the blog. Mike has promised to do my legs before I publish so I have to be quick.

I’m in need of a break and I know I’m becoming a bit more insular again at the moment. I’ve decided not to blog for a while or deal with any messages or posts. Please understand that if you comment on this post and don’t receive thanks, it’s not a lack of manners on my part, it’s that I’m trying hard not to live my life in front of the screen making sure you all know I care. I do care, but you’ll have to take it on faith for a while. Please forgive me and look after yourselves.

Cogitation.

Some of you wondered what the front of my nieces birthday cake looked like recently and until now I only had pictures of the back. Here it is….

Front of Jo’s cake.

Hugs to you ALL. I hope you have a wonderful week full of dreams come true.

 

 

Jo’s Party & Attempted Murder

Sunday 24th April.

I managed bed by 12.10 am last night, I didn’t dare go anywhere near the inbox though. I finished reading at 12.45 am and settled for sleep. I think I had time to blink once and open my eyes before I was up again. It was 2.06 am. It was 5.43 am before I had emptied the mail box and decided to go have my meds, some breakfast and then an investigation of my inner eyelids in my chair. I was awake again before 7.00 am and wandered back to my room after opening Joey’s cage. I did the loose post and then worked on the main post as it came in. It took till 9.43 am to clear that lot.

I took my mug through to wash and then prepared Mike’s mug and put the kettle on. It was about 9.55 am I took his coffee through. He;d been asleep since about 10.30 pm the night before. We got ready and left the house at about 11.00 am so I could go round a couple of shops before heading for Jo’s birthday meal. I bought myself another head, in red this time. Mike suggested I should try buying one that worked for a change so I could swap it for the one on my shoulders.                                                        We arrived at the pub at 12.20 pm and I hadn’t realised so many people would be there. It was lovely to see Dil of course and there was my great nephew Taylor with his Mum Deb, ex partner to my nephew David. There was Jess, Dil and Lynne’s daughter and her young son Rylan with whom I had some fun. Lee, Jen and Nathan and of course Jo and Karen and a surprise to me, Jo’s boyfriend whom I knew nothing about.

The birthday girl and boyfriend, Karen and Amelie

 

Jo creating a fire hazard

It was a nice enough meal but the wait for food was terrible.  The atmosphere on the other hand was brilliant. Rylan and Reuben played and though noisy they played nicely. Amelie was in good humour and Nathan was as full of smiles and waves as always. I think Lee and Jen liked the picture of Nathan I’d had put on a canvas and I think Yvonne liked the jumper I’d got her and the outfit and stuff I’d got Amelie. Reuben liked his toys. Karen and Jo seemed to love the big shoe lamps I’d bought them yesterday ( pre-birthday pressies) and they liked their canvasses. Jo liked her birthday gifts but I was devastated when opening the Tattoo Phrenology Head I’d bought of which the first one had arrived smashed, to find this one broken but not smashed.She’s going to try to glue it but I’m ready to get yet another.

When the party broke up we headed for home. I made Mike a coffee then we did Ju’s flowers before I fell asleep in the chair about 4.00 pm. When I woke up at 4.30 pm he’d gone. I started in on the day’s work and carried on until 7.00 pm when I went to make a sandwich. At 8.30 pm I took my meds, locked Joey in ( his lawyer lost a last minute appeal) and came through to carry on. I finished the mail at 10.40 pm and started straight in on the blog which should be done by 11.40 pm with luck.

Jen, Amelie, Nathan and Lee. ‘Cuzzins’

Monday 25th April.

Bed.11.30 pm                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Read till 12.20 am. quickly to sleep.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Up    4.28 am. It feels pretty good.  I worked on mail until 5.00 am then decided to get my meds and have some breakfast, only a toasted bap but that’s plenty. I got back at 5.40 am and carried on with the post, gathering more as I went. It was 9.42 before I could shout PARIS !. It didn’t mean anything but I wanted to shout something that began with a capital. My mailbox was empty and I quickly dressed and got my shoes on to take my prescription request to the chemist.                                                                         On the way back I made a quick call at Pauline’s before heading home. I was back in time for HUtH.

As that programme came to an end Bev knocked on the door. I opened it and she came through to do a test call on the intercom using the pendant which I’m supposed to wear all the time when I’m in but which I had to go and get from the hall where I hang it. She stayed for more than half an hour chatting, mainly about diabetes this week. When it was time for her to go it was approaching lunch time and she’d given me pause for thought about food. I decided against a liver and onions meal and settled for a chips with curry sauce and two buttered baps. Fair play, I did have a healthy rhubarb yoghurt afterwards though.                                                                                                                  After Bargain Hunt I was going to have a power nap but I’d just got my head down when my phone went. It was a text from Jade to check Wednesday at 10.00 am would be OK. Since we missed last week altogether except for what I did, I said that would be great. Awake now I went back to work. What was there kept me going until almost 3.00 pm then I went to watch Escape to the Country. I expected to close my eyes then but somehow didn’t. However, I did straight afterwards and didn’t wake until 4.40 pm, ten minutes in to my PYMWYMI antiques programme. I watched the rest of it then came back to work for 50 minutes before going to have a light tea and watch Without a Trace. SG1 followed and then Sanctuary.

I turned the TV off, locked Prisoner 99 up and said goodnight to him then went to the kitchen for my meds. Finally I headed for the bedroom/Office/Pit. Plenty of mail waiting for me which took me until 10.37 pm to deal with before I could do the blog. I will be in bed for 11.30 pm and ready for my trip out tomorrow.

Running riot at the park.

Terrible Twosome.

Tuesday 26th April.

Bed 11.27 pm last night.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Read till 12.25 am. Lights out but sleep took a short while.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Up at 2.39 am. Not as happy as I could be. A visit to Loo Loo Land and then back to open my gmail box. 37 showing at the moment. I was done at 4.53 am and went through to the kitchen for my usual. I had some toast while there. Coming out I went to the bathroom to trim my moustache before going out. I think it must be the fastest growing hair on my body. Cleverly I snipped my top lip at the same time but it seemed to be OK. I took my coffee to the bedroom and went back to work. I lit a cigarette and was distracted wondering when I’d bought red filters. It sunk in, I hadn’t. It took a while to stem the flow of blood, not helped by the occasional sip of warm coffee that set it off again. I finished the coffee, decided I didn’t need a blood transfusion so went back to work. Or I tried to, everything I tried to open wouldn’t. The little icon spun the wrong way and the message came that they took too long to respond. I kept trying and eventually it seemed to be OK again. I stopped work at 6.00 am to get dressed.

At 7.30 am I walked over in the freezing wind to get the bus. An hour of eyelid inspecting and I was there. Unfortunately, no-one else was. I had chance to smoke a cigarette and take a walk round a shop while I waited fr them to catch up.Reuben chose a good time to have a lie in, he must have known how cold it was this morning. We met up just in time for a visit to out usual watering hole and just in time for me to rid myself of the morning coffee voluntarily rather than the way that has me slinking home in shame. Yvonne ordered my new coffee while I got rid of the last.                                                                                                                                                                                                    When we’d finished in there and I’d had my hugs with Amelie it was time to shop. Reuben is going into his ‘big boy’s bed’ and though I’d bought him a duvet cover a few weeks ago, he needed sheets, pillow cases and their protectors plus pillows. I have a new duvet he can have. I managed to load myself down with everything and make a bolt for the counter even picking up a jumper for Ugo and one for myself on the way past. Not too much in the way of argument today. With the bags hanging from the trolley it made Amelie’s ride very much like that of the Bumper Car and she was riding into them as they passed.

We had a look in a new jewellers then waltzed round to the supermarket for a pizza for Reuben as that’s what he said he wants for his lunch. There seemed to be plenty of other things needed when we got in there and also one or two things we didn’t know we needed like a rhubarb pie for me. We moved on to a shop where Yvonne could look at the things she’d like to decorate Amelie’s room with ( if we ever win the lottery). Eventually all good things come to an end and it was time to head for the bus stop which coincidentally was just outside this shop. I’d barely got there when we saw the bus coming. I got a rare kiss from Reuben and a nice hug and kiss from Yvonne. Amelie was asleep by then. I got on, waved and the bus pulled off.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     With no need to stop at Pauline’s I was soon home again. Joey seemed pleased. I made lunch and at 1.45 pm went back to work. There was a lot waiting. I was just getting into it when the sneezing fit started. You know the old rhym, One for Sorrow, Two for Joy, well 36 is redecorating your computer screen. Three packets of tissues later and someone has given me a tap on the head which had been left open so my nose is constantly running. It’ got a lot more energy than it has a right too. I have a cold.

I worked until 4.30 pm then watched my PYMWYMI through blurry eyes. Pointless I saw except for the last few minutes as I was helping myself to rhubarb pie and custard in the kitchen. At 6.00 pm Without a Trace came on and like a switch had been thrown I was asleep. I woke up for part of SG1 and for some of Sanctuary then I was gone again until about the last ten minutes of Sanctuary. I should probably add that to whatever sleep I get tonight now. At 9.00 pm I locked Joey up, took my meds and came through to start again. Mail took me until 10.57 pm and then it was time for the blog. Midnight is my target for bed.

Playmates and competition for food.

The Cisco Kid.

Wednesday 27th April.

Bed at 11.55 pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Read to 12.40 am as finished the third book and I’m bereft. Nothing to read now.                                                                                                                                                                                    Up at 2.32 am.   Not exactly raring to go but decided I’m willing to return to bed at any time the fancy takes me. I made a flying visit to the Kingdom of Looe and then came back to sign into my mail. Over the last few days I’ve been going into the blogs I follow and changing them back from daily to immediate which is making a great difference. Firstly it seems to be working again, a problem that had prompted a change to daily in the first place. And Secondly, the deluge is much more a dignified trickle now and easier to cope with. There are still blogs I need to change back from daily but there’s no rush. Everything else is coming to me as it’s being sent and though it spreads it out more over the day there are less to clear at any one time. So, I might have been tied to the desk until 8.52 am but at least the numbers never looked overwhelming.

I had an argument with myself about whether to go to Pauline’s or not. I won. Just as I was getting my socks on I overruled myself and couldn’t go. That left me sulky and grumbling for ages but I knew I’d need lottery there tomorrow and my TV mag so better stay in the warm today and pick up a few more card tricks and learn some more Trivia answers before Dil arrived this evening. The postman came and brought a letter to say no increase in my private pension this year. THANKS Government !! At least it makes notification to the benefits people easy. He also brought me a voucher for £10 from the Government for answering questions on the survey I did. No wonder there’s no money for pensions. Before Jade was due at 10.00 am I received a message to say she was running 20 minutes late. Not a major problem really as I’m here all morning but it was actually almost 11.00 am when she arrived. As usual I just left her to it.                                                                                                                                                                                Marta Beaman, a lovely lady from  https://plainandfancygirl.com/2016/04/27/all-creatures-great-and-small-the-power-of-pets/  did a nice post on animals /pets and made mention of Oscar and his winning ways as my alarm clock. As it’s been a long time since he’s been mentioned I thought I’d share a photograph of him occupying my chair to make sure I don’t get to sit there.

Oscar takes a chair

And a subtle reminder of his book.

There are old posts from me going back into pre-history describing the cruel and unjust methods he used to get me out of bed.                                                                                              When Jade left I was able to make lunch which was two beef salad baps and a yoghurt today. I sat and ate watching snooker as my Bargain Hunt was over  I suppose I could have watched the end of it as she left at 12.40 pm but I was starving. At 2.00 pm I returned to work and stayed here until 4.10 pm. I’d only been in the lounge ten minutes watching a little more of the snooker when Dil arrived. I made him a tea then turned over for our Antiques programme.                                                                                                            We chatted about Sunday and seeing everyone. We’d both just had texts from Jo to confirm we were going to meet again on 22nd May for the next batch of birthday celebrations. I must check though as I don’t think she mentioned where.

When the quiz was over the TV went off and battle commenced. The Yahtzee was a draw at 4- 2 then 2 -4. The Trivia which was the longest and most drawn out game we’ve had in a long time ended in a worthy win for Dil after answering How do you write 99 in Roman numerals. It was time for him to go after I threw his coat at him and ordered him to ‘Begone’. I locked the front door and drew the curtain against the cold. Joey had just gone in so I locked the door then went into the kitchen to wash the pots (which I dirtied by eating the rest of the rhubarb pie) and taking my meds.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          By 9.45 pm I was back in my room with the ton of mail that had arrived. It took until 10.55 pm to clear what there was then so I could start the blog. I shall be getting my beauty sleep about 11.45 pm ready for an outing with MuJo tomorrow.

Face off

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here under sufferance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know some people have wondered about the gift I got for Joanne that got broken twice. I’m waiting to find out if she managed to glue it before ordering another.

Tattoo Head

Thursday 28th April.

Bed 11.50 pm                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Read till 12.25 am as I just had a brochure to read. Lights out and sleep not far behind.                                                                                                                                                                            Up at 2.18 am.

First of all was the inevitable trip to the loo then I came back and signed on. I checked the bank and then wrote out an email to the Benefits section at the local authority to let them know there is no increase to my private pension but that I am not now paying tax. I gave them the new figure to recalculate benefit (if any) from. Once hat was out of the way I concentrated on my emails. I worked until the box was empty at 5.02 am and then headed for the kitchen to take my meds and have some breakfast. When I returned at 5.30 am I carried on working  until the box was empty again at 8.42 am. A perfect time to get dressed ready to go to the chemist and chase up my missing drugs and to Pauline’s for my TV mad before I forgot it. I thought I might as well do the lottery while I was there. It actually looked beautiful out there but I wasn’t going to trust the temperature. On went the woolly jumper.The chemist was having a problem getting one of my drugs and it would be next week before they did though there were enough to tide me over. I asked if I could take the rest but no, as the chemist wasn’t on the premises they couldn’t release them. I was so cross I didn’t even bother reiterating that I always ask for my drugs to come when they have them an anything missing can come later. I don’t want to leave it till the last thing is in. I think they’d have made me wait until next week so I arranged for everything else to be delivered after 4.00 pm today. The chemist should be in when the shop is open but I know he travels quite a  way. The jumper was a good idea as the sunshine carried no heat this morning.

Before I reached Pauline’s I saw one of my neighbours  stroking a dog, I called “You never stroke me like that”, so she did. Shame she had to call me Good Boy too though. I wasn’t long in Pauline’s and got everything I wanted except some Liquorice Allsorts . I knew Mike would want to eat his if he came tonight and would hate for him to eat alone. I also asked Pauline for the winning Lottery tickets, so who knows. If you hear a shout of ‘Ey up’ outside your house, it may well be me. Don’t throw shoes ( unless they’re a very stylish size 10 ). I returned home at 9.25 am and did a little more work but stopped at 10.00 am to watch HUtH with Joey but I think he was in a mood because I’d hardly seen him this morning. Also I had to put his millet in his food tray as the stalk wasn’t strong enough to hold it.  I relented and got a fresh one out.                                    MuJo arrived at 10.00 am which is very early for them. I saw to the drinks and we chatted a while but at 10.30 am they were anxious to go. I pointed out the time as being far to early for lunch but they said Muriel needed the bank and the Post Office first. Given that I asked if it was OK if I made a quick nip to Home Bargains. It was. What a success that was. I practically flew round the store but I knew where I was looking for what I wanted. Yvonne is going to be doing up Amelie’s bedroom and had seen some nice lights for the wall when we were out on Tuesday. I was pretty sure I’d seen some at this branch of my favourite shop. I had, and what a bargain.

I was just walking out with my purchases when I met MuJo who’d come for a look themselves. Great, I got to go round again at a more liesurely pace and picked up some gifts for my Great Nephew who will be One next week. Muriel managed to find a few things there and I know John got something too. When we left it was straight back to the car and then off to lunch. It was pre-decided today that a return to The Bells of St Mary’s was on the cards. We were there only minutes after they started serving. The till area was almost free and we could quickly order but the line of people waiting to get their meal was massive. I was disappointed that when I got my meat there were hardly any boiled onions, very few carrots and scrappy roast potatoes. If I waited there for new dishes to be brought everything else would go cold. Still what I had I enjoyed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          After lunch MuJo asked if I’d mind going to Abakhan for my coffee. I didn’t mind. It’s an old mill where they sell material and everything related to fabrics even to wedding gowns and those funny little hats women wear for such occasions. I know of old they also have a good craft shop, a wool shop and a gift shop though that is very expensive. We enjoyed our drink and a look round the various departments. It was still pouring down as we headed for home. We were back by 2.30 pm which was unusual and because of the weather they weren’t too long before leaving to travel home themselves. Once they’d gone I saw a text from Mike to say he was on his way so I started work. I broke at 4.30 pm. I was watching PYMWYMI when Mike arrived so I made him a coffee while he dropped his luggage in his room. Then my drug courier arrived just before 5.00 pm so I c0uld stop worrying about that.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       When the quiz Pointless was on I made Mike something to eat. We watched Without a Trace but think I may have nodded off towards the end, either that or they now amalgamate part of SG1 into the story because when I opened my eyes that’s what was there. I was out a good hour and yet still somehow managed to miss a chunk of Sanctuary as well. At 9.00 pm I took my meds, locked Joey away and came through t work. It ook until 11.00 pm to finish the emails and start the blog. It’s going to be close to midnight I think.

Nursery play.

Dig that rhythm n’ blues man.

 

Friday 29th April.

Bed 11.58 pm                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Read to 1.15 am Couldn’t sleep.

I got up again at 1.45 am and started to read again being prepared to fall asleep reading if I must, which I did sometime after 2.05 am which is the last time I remember. I was up again at 4.00 am. After a trip to  the loo I went straight to the kitchen and took my meds then brought the drawer through and replenished the drawer from the stuff that arrived yesterday then replenished the drugs tray for the next week. I returned with a coffee and set to work on my mail at 4.35 am. I finally got clear at 6.56 am so I was able to have a short break before it started coming again, That lasted for just a couple of minutes and then I was at it until 9.00 am.

I’d gone through to the lounge and was relaxing with Frasier when Mike walked in about 9.10 am. Not bad for someone who’d slept from before 10.30 pm last night. I only know as I turned his TV off at 10.30 pm. I made his coffee while he struggled to raise the venetian blinds on his eyes. I stayed in the lounge with HUtH till 11.00 am and Mike only moved long enough to make himself a second coffee.As I went back to work Mike went to his room to get dressed ready to go out.                                                                 The mail was going down OK when he came in to say goodbye, he’d see me tonight. I carried on until 11.35 pm then decided to go peel my sweet potatoes for lunch. Once that was done I took my pre-foodies, put the sausages on the grill and cut the potatoes ready to be boiled. My potatoes were mashed, peas were in the microwave while I dished up the sausages then prepared the chipshop style gravy before adding the peas and putting the gravy on. I was ready to eat at 12.05 pm. After Bargain Hunt I was ready to return to work. I just didn’t know it would keep me occupied until 4.30 pm. At 5.15 pm I returned to it until 5.50 pm when I was pretty clear. I needed to be as I wouldn’t be returning to it until at least 9.00 pm.

I was watching Without a Trace when I got a 6.30 pm text from Michael to say he was on his way back. I saw SG1 then at 8.00 pm went for my shower. When I cam back to the lounge Michael still hadn’t arrived but about 8.30 pm he walked in. I made a coffee and he told me how bad the traffic and the weather had been. At 9.00 pm Have I Got News For You came on so I decided to stay for that too. When I’d taken my meds and finally came through there were 51 messages waiting with more coming in. Sometimes you answer one at one end of the list which generates a new one at the other end. I worked until 10.45 pm then started the blog. I intend to be in bed by midnight as it’s shopping day tomorrow and I have all my early morning duties with the rubbish, the recycling and turfing Mike out of his bed.

Sunshine, in case you don’t remember it. Not today though.

Exotic colours.

Saturday 30th April.

Bed 12.01 am after doing a little more mail.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Read to 1.05 am Last visit to loo.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Up at 2.21 am first visit to loo .

I put myself straight to work on ebay ordering what I’d decided I wanted for Lee’s birthday. Though his lovely wife Jen says not to get him anything I find I can’t do that. Lee has been important to me for his whole life. I have to think hard about Karen now to find something special .                                                                                                                       I worked on the mail until 5.00 am then went for my usual jaunt to the kitchen.I had toast with lashings of butter and by 6.30 am felt sick. But, after breakfast I’d seen to the kitchen bin and the food waste bins. I’d taken them outside but left the bins on the step to take down when we went out.  After washing my hands I’d returned to work   on the emails taking delight in the fact that I had time to enjoy some of the stories, especially the Guitar Mancer serial by my friend Teagan.                                                              https://teagansbooks.com/2016/04/30/guitar-mancer-episode-6-audition/                                                                                                                                                                                             At 6.00 am Mike’s alarm went off so I finished what I was doing and then went to the kitchen and made a coffee. One more alarm had gone while I was in there and then the third just as I took his drink in. After the alarm going off I expected a better response than Uh Uh when I said the drink was there. I returned to ework but there was no movement from there until after the fourth alarm. At least I’d only made the one visit.

I went through to the lounge to open Joey’s cage at 6.45 am  and was surprised to find Mike awake rather than sleeping in the chair. We decided what flowers we’d want for Ju’s vase this morning. Somehow we were on our way at 7.00 am. We parked up and I got cash while Mike grabbed a trolley. Inside the store I went to get my spuds while I asked Mike to choose the flowers. Then in tandem we went round the rest of the shop getting what was needed.Towards the end of the supermarket I asked Mike to pick up my pop while I got some milk. There was one of the large carts they use to transport the milk in the aisle and I had to go behind it to get the milk. I was just leaning over to get the milk when I felt a thump on my right hip and I started to topple . “Murder” I cried and two heads came round  the end of the cart. One was a member of staff who’d been using an industrial floor cleaner  and had gone into the front of the cart with a real wallop which had then sent it into me. He grabbed my arm to pull me upright as I tried to get my crutches into a position to support me, The second face was Mike who was trying to get the crutches back on the ground since he felt there was more support that waving over my shoulders like a paralytic spider. The accident prone polisher who tried to polish me off was very apologetic and offered to get me a chair so I could sit a while. I said I was OK.

Mike and I moved off though I was moving quite gingerly since the floor was wet and slippy where the machine had been. I have to admit my hip hurt and I said to Mike that I should maybe faint now and then sue the store. He suggested I might get my shopping for free at least. I suggested he run back and pick up a 55″ screen TV first.  When we finished in the supermarket we headed to Th Range again for bacon baps for breakfast. Don’t blame me it’s all his fault. I’ve bought great salad stuffs this morning again. There’s another good shop close by where I managed to get a few things I wanted  before we got in the car again and headed for Flint.                                             When we parked up we stopped to have a cigarette and walked to a shop I needed before we went fore coffee, His mouth opened in a big drool when he saw it was Sian on today. He almost behaved himself when he saw her son was working with her, but not quite. Coffee was nice but it was time to move on again. Next door as it happened. Mike found a nice picture frame he wanted.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Finally it was back in the car again for a ride up to Holywell where I managed to get just what I wanted to complete my gift for Amelie’s room. After that I left Mike the choice of where we lunched. He decided on The Dragon’s Rest just off the A55 at the Holywell exit.

After lunch it was time to come home. We made it for 2.00 pm. We unpacked and put away the shopping then I came to work. I stayed until almost 6.00 pm then leaving just a small amount in my inbox I headed for the lounge and some relaxation. To make life fun, despite being hit inthe left hip, my problem all evening has been my chest , the left side of which has been very painful, almost like it felt when I had pneumonia. But I’m still breathing much to his disgust.  We were watching a programme that didn’t finish until 9.30 pm so I was later coming through than usual. total mail at that point 63 so it took me until 11.05 pm to finish and that was while I was being ruthless ( It’s true, I haven’t had a Ruth for ages) having to ignore some posts that have been reposted a lot or if people have sent multiple messages. I shall post at midnight come what may and then I’m in bed toot sweet!!

Am I next on the menu?

I’m amazed, dumbfounded , shocked!

 

Slaughterhouse Blue & Birthdays and Arrivals

Sunday 17th April.

I expected last night to be the usual but I was to be surprised. Bed at 12.10 am, read till 1.00 am then sleep. That part followed the usual plan. But I had a small period of wakefulness at 2.17 am then a longer on at 3.22 am when I visited the loo and decided to walk into a wall on the way back to my room. I brought a picture down which lodged partly behind a radiator with a heck of a clatter bringing me to my senses and waking Mike who called out to see if I was OK. Apart from dented pride I was. I still had to spend some time sitting on the side of the bed having a smoke and trying to decide what had happened. I went back to sleep at the time I’d normally be getting up. I slept until 7.04 am. I started work on the mail as soon as I’d taken my meds and brought a coffee through. I was in a panic as the normal deluge had started arriving by then.              I was startled to have Mike appear in my doorway. I looked at my watch and it was only 9.30 am so I was even more startled. I went through to make him a dink and stayed to let Joey out and try and sort out what we were doing today. I left 74 pieces of post in my inbox at that time.

We decided it would be a good idea to head for Flint to see if Argos had the electric screwdriver he wanted and they were showing in their catalogue so at about 11.00 am we left. Flint didn’t have one but they checked and found Mold did and kindly reserved one for him. We had a quick coffee in Temptations ( a chance for him to drool over Sian) and then headed off for Mold about 15 minutes away. Once we’d parked up I showed him the way to Argos and he got what was needed. We were leaving the store when a loo became a necessity, the shop advised him there were no public loos open today (?) so I guided him to the nearest cafe I knew so he could go. We ended up having sandwiches for lunch but as he pointed out, we couldn’t complain as we’d had our Sunday lunch yesterday.                                                                                                                                                                After lunch we walked round a couple of shops looking for some gift wrap and I picked up about half a dozen sheets. I’ve got a little time before the next batch of (unwrapped) birthdays hammers on my door. April, May and November are the worst months for birthdays for me but at least this month’s are wrapped now.

Coming back it was fun with the sat-nag on listening to the way he wanted us to go while Mike and I had decided on the pretty route over the tops. The poor fella in the sat-nag must have been going frantic looking up all the roads to try and adjust to our route.He did pretty well. We were home for 2.00 pm and did Ju’s flowers before sitting down to try and watch a not very good film. I fought bravely to keep my eyes open. About 3.30 pm Mike asked if I was going to sleep and I told him I’d better go and start work. He decided that would be a good time to start for home. I turned the TV off. After making sure he left and running a metal detector over his luggage, I locked the door and returned to the computer. The figure now could almost have been a historical date  like 1066 it was so high but I don’t know any events from 213 AD except I think the Romans were still slaughtering the Brits at that point. I worked until 6.10 pm and then went for some tea. I think I started watching something like NCIS but it wasn’t long before I was undergoing eyelid inspection from the inside again. I didn’t wake up until the closing music of one episode at 7.55 pm.

I scorched the carpet moving fast enough to get back here. It took me till 10.35 pm to clear the mailbox and that was with cutting corners. I’m (fingers crossed) gong to be greased up and in bed about 11.30 pm.

Looking Hopeful.

Blatant Advert placement.

Monday 18th April.

I was in bed fully basted by 11.45 pm. I read my book until 12.45 am then it was lights off and settle down. At some stage during the night I got up to go to the Piddle Palace but no accidents  and no ciggie on the side of the bed either, just back to sleep. I woke this morning at…wait for it…….6.32 am. Am I becoming human again and starting to enjoy a proper sleep cycle or is it just Somnos on holiday? I woke with a terrible headache but that seems a small price to pay.   After the usual visit to the loo I went straight to the kitchen and took my meds then made a coffee to bring back with me. No breakfast today. I signed into the mail and found 56 messages overnight. It was 6.50 am so the next batch wouldn’t be too long in coming.

The next batch arrived late but just as I was finishing the overnight lot. Oddly enough, it seemed to come in fits and starts today rather than en masse. I just had to keep going. I was clear at 9.37 am and was exhausted. I knew more would come but decided that what I needed just then was rest and my chair beckoned. I just lay there with my eyes closed wanting sleep. Joey had a singing squawking session but I couldn’t move.  Somehow I managed to turn the TV on in time for HUtH .  The feeling that I needed to sleep wouldn’t go away though I did manage to stay awake for the whole programme. When it finished I came back to work but after twenty minutes the bell rang. It was the warden and she came in for half an hour to chat about things and see how I am. When she left there was no time to come back and finish off, I needed to get on with lunch. Braised steak and mash today.

Lunch and Bargain Hunt out of the way I returned to where I’d left off to try and get myself into a good position again. I sat there going through the motions (no missus not THOSE motions, stay with the script and stop writing your own lines) until I was clear a few minutes before 3.00 pm. I was sure if I went to my chair I’d get my power nap and feel OK again but the Zzzz’s wouldn’t come. I watched Escape to the Country which I have often missed thanks to the Zzzz’s filing an inappropriate flight plan. At 3.45 pm when it finished I came back to see what else had arrived and to clear it up. I even managed a little look at Ebay. Lots of birthdays next month too. At 4.30 pm I went to watch PYMWYMI (see Blog Cast List) and then since my Cold Case appears to have finished, to watch a quiz. At 6.00 pm Without a Trace came on and I had to use matchsticks to keep my eyes open as I was going to watch The Antiques Road Trip next. I managed it. Then it was time to watch Sanctuary before coming back to work. I turned over and didn’t even get to see the start before I was asleep. I didn’t wake till 9.30 pm either which meant I was late. I closed Joey’s door and wished him goodnight, took my meds and came through. Clearing the post took until 10.50 pm so starting the blog was late. I’m aiming for 11.45 pm and given that it’s only fifteen minutes away and all I have to do is sort the photographs and choose my music I’m sure of making.

Far away thoughts.

Ready for anything.

Tuesday 19th April.

I was safely in bed by 11.50 pm after dealing with an extra message that came in. I read my book until thee were just white pages left and felt cheated that the author hadn’t at least put a few doodles on them. My light went out at 12.40 am and I settled quite quickly.   I had no problem getting up this morning and was going to go straight into getting dressed until I realised a) it was still quite dark without the light on, and     b)  doing that might mean a damp carpet as I hadn’t been for a wee yet and wanted one. I resolved that straight away and turned the light on as I left the room. It was 4.10 am so I guessed the last couple of days were flukes.                                                                                                       Coming back from the Pee Parlour I logged onto the computer and my mail box. Just 31 to deal with seemed OK .That took me until 5.54 am  when I shuffled down the passage to the kitchen and the waiting drugs and breakfast. I put the washing machine on while I was there. After breakfast I returned to my nest with a cup of coffee. More mail was waiting. A friend I was worried about recently had the love of her life, a much younger man who didn’t know of her feelings break his friendship with her. It was childish and petulant. She was angry and I thought that was good. The problem was she didn’t stay angry but after 3 days got in touch and ended up declaring her true feelings for him. Now he’s responded and also declared his love for her. At this point I should be pleased for her and wish her much happiness, and I do. But I’m worried about the effect the next time he has a tantrum and unfriends her on Facebook again.

I finished the main batch of mail at 8.45 am. Today the people are coming to see if I have asbestos in my kitchen ceiling before they do the kitchen and bathrooms. They could only give a time of between 9.00 am and noon so I wanted to slip out to Pauline’s just before 9.00 am so I’d be in. I was back in the house by 9.05 am having been to Pauline’s and to the sandwich shop to get myself a ham SALAD bap for lunch. I’m pretty sure I’m covered for my 5 a day for the next month now.                                                           I checked ebay and found I needed to pay for something I’d won which was great as I’ll have it well in time for when needed now. At 10.00 am I watched HUtH with Joey though his vocal support almost frowned out the programme. After that I returned to work but had only managed a few messages when the man came to check me out for asbestos. Well, not me personally but you know what I mean. That was about 11.15 am and he was doing so much more than I expected, taking samples from all the rooms for a start. He’d said it would take about an hour when he came and yet I was surprised when he said his goodbyes at 11.45 am. He said he wasn’t leaving me in a deathtrap but I had to ask him to repeat himself as the voice was a little muffled by his mask and the hand he held over his mouth.

I took my pre-foodies and put my ham salad bap on a plate, picked up a yoghurt and went to my chair. I turned the TV on ready for Bargain Hunt and after 15 minutes started eating. The bap made a really nice change though I don’t want you to start equating the words salad and nice together in my mind. When 1.00 pm came I went back to work. There seemed to have been a breech in the dam and heavy leakage in my direction (it’s my age I think). It took a while to clear up but I was back in there for 3.00 pm to see Escape to the Country. Again I returned to work at 3.45 pm and had a little session of ebay too.  At 4.30 pm my serious viewing started with PYMWYMI followed by Pointless which was in turn followed by Road Trip and Sanctuary during which I stayed awake.  That made it easy to take my meds and to say goodnight to Joey with no rush. I ambled through then feeling that wasn’t enough, I went back and came through with my now infamous Quasimodo walk. I was disappointed to find I didn’t have a belltower to climb and beams to scamper along as I made the bells talk to me. I made do with the mail instead. And this time there were 72 waiting, cruel, very cruel.                                       I was clear by 11.05 pm but only because I ignored most of the messages by a multiple poster who writes quite a bit on a subject that doesn’t interest me.I do respond when the subject does.

I think I shall still be in bed before the witching hour makes me become human again.

Prepared for rain

Liquid eyes
to hypnotise.

Wednesday 20th April.

In bed at 11.56 pm and because the new book I ordered hadn’t arrived I had to re-read a pamphlet on poltergeists. I didn’t want to start on a full book and have to leave the new one alone if it arrived today. I am really anxious to continue with the Uhtred story. My light went out at 12.27 am as I headed towards sleep.                                                     I’m pretty sure I had been lying in bed awake and thinking of my mother for a while before swinging my legs out this morning. It’s possible I was dreaming though as I hadn’t looked at the clock until I moved. When I did it was 3.34 am. I thought it was later. After a visit to the Palace of Piddle I returned to my room and signed in. I worked on my mail until I finished one at 4.44 am and decided that was a good time to break for breakfast and my meds.  Rice Krispies and toast this morning since I couldn’t decide between the two. I’ll be the size of a barn shortly. (Whaddye mean I already am, and no,I didn’t call you shorty). After eating I washed the pots and brought a cup of coffee back with me.

The overnight and early morning mail kept me occupied until 7.11 am. I had time to get dressed before the deluge hit. When it came it was in fits and starts again so for a while the figures didn’t look too bad and they refilled only when I got low. At 9.15 am I broke off to go to Pauline’s for tomatoes and cucumber to make sandwiches at lunch time, I didn’t bother with a lettuce because of the waste, I’d probably throw it straight in the bin. When I got back I checked my phone for messages from Jade, nada, and then carried on with the mail until 9.55 am when my TV session with Joey called. HUtH. It was good today.                                                                                                                                       At 11.00 am I came back to work and carried on with the messages until the box was clear at 11.55 am. For lunch I made two beef and partial salad baps which I ate while Bargain Hunt was on. I kept trying to tempt Joey to come and eat with me but I think he prefers manners. I was going to catch a quick forty winks at 1.00 pm but I’d no sooner shut my eyes than I got a text. Jade asked whether she could come tomorrow instead. I replied that I didn’t know if I was having visitors tomorrow or Friday and I’d have to let her know.

I went back to work until 3.45 pm. I dealt with mail and also with some things on ebay. I was doing searches and sending some of the results to Yvonne in the hopes she’d let me buy something for them. I don’t know where that child got such an obstreperous nature from. She seems to forget that I reign supreme and that my word is law. In fact I’d go so far as to say she deliberately thwarts me every chance she gets. I don’t know where I went wrong but I’m paying for it now. I bet she’s not like this with her husband, unless of course it’s he that has usurped my authority. But no, she was like this pre-Ugo.                                                                                                                                                                            At 3.45 pm I at in my chair and closed my eyes, even Joey wasn’t going to stop me. I Zzzzz’d until 4.26 pm which couldn’t have been better since PYMWYMI started at 4.30 pm. I was surprised not to find Dil there grinning at me but tonight it was almost 5.00 pm before he arrived. I made him a cup of tea and we had a little natter before Pointless. Ae 6.00 pm the TV went off and the games came out. In the Yahtzee he won three straight games and then surprisingly so did I. On the second sheet it went 4-2 in my favour. In trivia he had four pieces of pie before I’d got my first but I fought back and managed to reach the sixth. When I got to the centre he asked a kind question I was able to answer and it was all over bar my dancing on the table shouting “Ha, ha, I won, I beat you! Could you help me up off the floor carefully please.” We did have time for one game of cribbage and he took a great lead which he maintained most of the way round. At the critical juncture though I pulled the pair of 5’s from my sleeve and gathered enough points to win. I led him out of the house to say goodbye so he couldn’t slam all the doors as he went. This was the Slaughter House and he was blue.

After washing the pots, taking my meds and saying goodnight to Joey I came through to see how bad things were, I hadn’t been here in 6 hours. It was bad, but not in a Let me out I’m leaving home kind of way, more a Heck, I’d hoped to get some sleep tonight kind of way. I was knocked for six though when I opened a message from my friend Hugh to say that Victoria Wood had died. This is a great loss to entertainment as she was a superlative performer. A real talent with her comic routines and a very talented writer of both comedy and serious material.Then I had  message from Yvonne with the same news saying “Bloody cancer again.” Because she was ill such a short time I wonder if it was pancreatic cancer that took her do quickly.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I finished the mail at 11.15 pm and went straight on to the blog. It will be midnight.

Bite size

You spin me right round baby…..

Thursday 21st April.

Bed was actually 12.15 am and reading took until 1.20 am before I realised I was only halfway through a long chapter and had to put my book down anyway. I marked the place carefully, nipped to the loo (and back) and turned the light out. I saw it was 1.27 am. Sleep wasn’t long in coming. It was an awful dream filled night so I was glad to see 5.32 as I woke, and about four hours isn’t bad.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 First job of the morning was another visit to the loo then back to log on. Firstly to the bank to check my pension was in- it was, then straight to the mail. I worked until 6.30 am then went to take my meds and get a coffee to bring back. Once back I cranked up the output to try and finish what I had before anyone flung new stuff at me. I didn’t make it so was at my desk without a break until 9.35 am.

You’d have been proud of me with the speed I decided what to wear and how quickly I put it on. So ,  what if I wasn’t exactly colour co-ordinated and had put my lounge pants on in error. I changed and looking a little more subdued went to Pauline’s to get my lottery. I accidentally bought a Twix as well which I accidentally ate when I got back. There were just a few extra messages to clear and I just had time before going in to change Joey’s seed and water and putting HUtH on for us.                                                                 MuJo arrived about 10.30 am which was a pleasant surprise. I saw to drinks then passed John his birthday gifts to open or not as the mood took him. He said he’d rather wait until we got back from wherever we were going.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      There were a lot of questions raised about where t go for lunch, all of them raised by John because we just reminded him it was his birthday, his choice. In the end it was decided we’d go to the Bells of St Mary’s. We left the house very early at 11.20 am even though they don’t start serving until 12.00 pm, I think it’s a case of once a decision is made you act on it before it gets changed. We arrived about 11.40 am and I got the carvery tickets and the drinks while John found a seat. Then he and I took our pre-food tablets so we were ready for the kick off. Noon found us lining up to be served, the first in the queue.

I had my usual roast beef dinner but here they serve onion gravy with huge chunks of onion in and the mashed potato is really nice.We all seemed to enjoy what we had. From there we went into Prestatyn to look at a couple of shops. I managed to get a toy each for Nathan and Reuben to make up for an outfit I’d got last week for Amelie. I’ll be able to dish them out on Sunday when we go to Jo’d birthday meal. I also picked up an extra head, this one in black and a Buddha. John seemed to be the fittest I’ve seen him in ages walking round shops. I had to stop. About 3.15 pm we set off home with a detour to John’s mother’s house. She’s well into her 90’s and he wanted to check she was OK. We got home about 4.00 pm and John started on his gifts. He laughed at the Dalek and at the motion sensor whistling parrot. He adored the hip flask designed by my friend Sarah of First Night Design  http://firstnightdesign.wordpress.com  , she’s a fantastic artist as well as a lovely lady. He liked his fleece but I think he was impressed with my choice of his porcelain soldier figures as he didn’t have any of them and on was of the green jacket rifles like Sharpe in the books by Bernard Cornwell.                            I’d just put the antiques programme on when the doorbell rang and it was Bert with a parcel. We were having quite a long chat on the step when  Mike arrived like a bolt of lightning. The speed his little legs were moving told me he was due  an urgent visit to the Piddle Palace. Bert said goodbye and I went in.

MuJo were on the point of leaving having seen Mike arrive so we said our goodbyes and they promised to come again next week. I came back through and watched to the end of the show with Mike then excused myself to catch up,promising I’d be back in by 7.00 pm no matter what. I juggled as much as I could then kept my promise. Only when I was back in did I find they’d cancelled the Antiques Road Trip to show a programme about Victoria Wood. So many funny clips.                                                                                            When it was over I came back through to work and Mike said he fancies an early night too. Now I know this one is an alien.                                                                                                      I caught up about 10.45 pm so might be in bed by 11.30 pm tonight.

Muriel and John aka MuJo

If she tells me to ‘Say Cheese’ just one more time when I’m lactose intolerant……….

Friday 22nd April.

I slithered into bed at 11.45 pm last night and took to my book. I read until 1.00 am ans only stopped because I feared reading until the end of a chapter which was many pages away. I need to pace myself too as I don’t have the next book in the series which Muriel says she’ll bring with her next time.                                                                                          It was strange when I got up. I wanted to go to the loo which as ever wasn’t a problem, but on my return I couldn’t find my glasses. Quite seriously I must have spent ten minutes looking for them. I looked beside my bed in case they’d fallen, in the bathroom in case I’d put them on the windowsill, in my dressing gown pockets and in the lounge in case I’d been in there and put them on my table. I don’t think Joey appreciated the light going on. I checked the kitchen too. It was at least he full ten minutes before I realised I was using them to look for them. At no point had I checked my boat-race.                                                                                                                                                                                        Worse still, I came back to my bedroom after having apologised to Joey and putting the light out to start getting dressed. It suddenly occurred to me how dark it was. I glanced at the clock and it was just 2.35 am. I hadn’t even slept for an hour and a half and here I was preparing myself for a new day when my compost was most definitely not mental.

I signed into my mail and started working on the messages. By 4.00 am I was up to date and took a chance on a lie down, it worked, I lay until 4.50 am. Getting up I checked on new messages and there were none at that point. I decamped ( love that word, I feel like Baden-Powell) for the kitchen where I took my meds then prepared the boxes for the next week. I brought a coffee with me when I returned at 5.40 am and found more messages had arrived. All in all I stayed with my face glued t the screen until almost 9.30 am when Mike got up. I left the last few messages and went to make him a drink. Joey was delighted to have us both in the room. I put HUtH on at 10.00 am bu fell asleep in the chair for part of it. When I woke, the postman had been. The last picture I’d ordered, a shame it hadn’t come yesterday.                                                                                   At 11.00 am I got up to start peeling my sweet potatoes and Mike went to get dressed and then came through to say goodbye. By the time I’d finished I just went ahead and started the cooking and took my pre-food tabs. I ate at noon.  I waited until Bargain Hunt was over at 1.00 pm before washing the pots and then going to face the computer. There were 121 pieces waiting for me and odd bits more coming in. I wasn’t able to move from my seat until 4.22 pm, and believe me, my seat was feeling it. I took a break for my antiques show then worked 5.15 pm to 5.45 pm and took another break when Mike sent a text to say he was on his way.

At 6.00 pm I has Without a Trace on and held back my scream when Mike arrived back and I missed the important conclusion where one missing person dies and one survives and I’ve no idea how or which. I made a coffee for him and left it in the cup honestly. At 7.00 pm I went for a shower and Mike washed my hair for me as usual. He mentioned something about a haircut/beard trim again but luckily I was deafened by water in my ears and didn’t hear a thing, especially as the forecast is for a very cold weekend with snow possible. Question of Sport was on when I came out,my team lost. I watched Sanctuary and then Have I got News for You. At 9.30 pm I closed Joey’s door, went to take my meds and wished Mike goodnight as I was coming through to work. As I was working on the mail he kept popping in and out until finally at 10.30 pm he announced he too was going to bed. I finished the mail not long after at 10.40 pm and was able to start the blog. Hopefully I’ll be done by 11.30 pm (ish) and can get back to the half chapter I left last night.

Horticultural Guy

The groupies follow him everywhere

Saturday 23rd April.

I finished reading with the end of the half chapter and turned the light off at 12.27 am.  Sleep was almost instant. When I woke I felt as though I’d been aboard a ship all night and didn’t have my sea legs. That didn’t make going to the loo easy. ( “Vertigo?” Mike asked later,”No” I replied “it was only about 4 metres/yards.”) You can imagine the fun trying to keep my aim true, a drunk with palsied hands. Still, at least I managed not to walk into any walls this week. It was 2.07 am and if I’d been dreaming about Vikings after last night’s reading I couldn’t remember where I’d buried my hoard this morning.I suppose I’d have had a problem being a Viking though being neither a Dane nor a Saxon but a Briton that both sides fought after they’d invaded my Country and pushed us further and further back until the border between us and them made getting to us difficult. Wales held the original inhabitants of the whole Country just then and I don’t mean 2.07 am this morning.

After ‘loo time’ I did emails until 5.00 pm then went through to the kitchen to take my meds and have some toast for breakfast. I brought my coffee through and carried on until 5.45 am. At that point my box was clear. I was just relaxing onto the keyboard when I was startled into wakefulness by Mike’s alarm going off. It was 6.00 am. I headed for the kitchen to make him a drink and the alarm was still going. It honestly occurred to me that maybe he’s popped his clogs in the night. Suddenly it came to an abrupt halt. Had it run out or been turned off? I put the kettle on and then stuck my head round his door. He was still with us as I could see he’s changed position. I made a drink and took it through. When I said “Coffee up”, I got a reasoned response with minimal foul language.                                                                                                                                                            He was actually in the lounge with his coffee at about 6.15 am. Amazing. He ‘s going to bed early, going to sleep early and now getting up early. Not understanding the change that’s come over him I carried on and dealt with the  recycling stuff, getting it outside ready for collection.By 7.15 am he was dressed and ready to go. Even claiming to  be awake at that point. We left Joey at the window looking sad at our departure.

Things went well at the Supermarket as in I got what I wanted and even what I needed to a degree. Of prime importance were flowers for Ju and we picked three nice bunched including some Iris’s Mike found. We zipped round and found the till that our friend who insults Mike and receives as good as she gets was in charge of. Once he’d had a good session with her we were ready to go. By pure coincidence today Mike remembered he wanted some lights for his fish tank so we decided to forego the coffee in McDonald’s and go to see if they had any elsewhere. Well, we had to try The Range first. They didn’t have quite what he wanted so we had to have a drink and a bacon bap to console ourselves him. We tried a big pet shop close by and then the pet shop in Flint. That meant a drink in Temptations and another round of female- Mike banter. I suggested a couple of places that may well have the lights he needed and we set off for Rhyl. One shop had almost exactly what he wanted, just not long enough. We made a note of the make to try later on the net. We went for lunch.

After lunch we had a little wander round the shops in Rhyl and I found something I hoped would appeal to both Karen and Jo. As I’m seeing them tomorrow I’ll find out if I’m right. We headed home. Once the shopping was unpacked and away I was able to come and check the mail. I worked from 2.30 pm to 5.45 pm getting it down before feeling I could take a break. Mike was watching his beloved Manchester United play a game on the TV. Not literally on the TV, the programme was on TV. At 6.00 pm when it was halftime he went through to his bedroom and TV  so I could watch a film in the lounge. I made him a coffee and some tea as a thank you.                                                                  Ugo was coming to put something in the garage later so I was ready to help. We got it done very quickly so that just after 9.30 pm I was able to start the rest of the mail and the blog. The mail was done by 11.15 pm.

Can you see the reflection in the eye?

Can you see a little flying saucer just above his head?

 

Jigsaw Gift &The Return of the Prodigal

Sunday 10th April

I put my book down at 1.15 am and lights out. It was a while before I slept and when I did it wasn’t for long as I was awake again at 1.47 am. I don’t think it was for too long. The day began again at 5.24 am. I went straight to the kitchen for my meds but couldn’t face breakfast this morning though I bet it might have been different had bacon been on offer. Maybe I should go and see if Pauline has a small pack this morning. I’d finished with the meds and made my coffee by 4.45 am so I put the washing machine on and brought the coffee back to my room. Once I started with the mail time just ran away with me and I only remembered about the washer at 7.00 am so I had to go and put the drying cycle on. That was going to take three hours. I’d have to see if I could remember it at 10.00 am. I finished the first wave of mail at 9.35 am and took a break to change Joey’s seed and water. I stayed there for a while in the hopes of nodding off but I suppose the thought of Jade turning up and me missing the doorbell put the mockers on that idea. At 10.00 am I watched a programme asking if Shakespeare was ahead by touting equality for women in his characters, black guys can be good and not slaves and other forward thinking in his plays. This was compared to the bible and whether it promoted the same or whether all the characters in the bible are one sided and uninteresting. Not my usual fare but some good points were raised. At 11.00 am I came back to work in case more mail had come (it had). I worked until 11.50 am then went to see to lunch. Today a pre-done roast beef dinner from Tescos. Not bad but maybe ASDA have the edge on meat quantity.

At 1.00 pm I returned to work again. I was still living in hopes of Jade coming and giving me a hand with the bed at that stage. There was plenty of work coming through but as Jade hadn’t come ( and my will to live was rapidly disappearing) I decided I wanted to see a film at 2.30 pm. The film finished at 4.20 am and I’d been so distracted I hadn’t noticed the deadline for Jade had come and gone. A surprise is no phone call of apology for letting me down or of hampering any plans I wanted to make. I wonder if I’m just accepting girls who are too young, who don’t yet have a work ethic, but then again they’re the only ones who seem to be advertising. I wonder if she’ll text about coming this week? I am paying over the odds so she may not want to lose the money and to be fair she isn’t overworked here. Anyway, I came through after the film ended and worked on post until 5.15 pm. Then it was time for tea. I had a corned beef and pickled beetroot bap and some chineapple punks to follow. That’s part f my five a month taken care of.      I want to say that I sat there watching TV until 9.00 pm. I want to but I can’t. I watched something unmemorable (Rango??) early on until about 6.30 pm then turned over to watch Snow White and the Huntsman. I don’t know why as I missed about an hour of it when the Zzzz’s were flying overhead. When I woke it was quite dark (poor Joey) but at least we hadn’t had the final battle scenes. I put the light on and watched the rest including the killing of the Queen and the new coronation of Snow White. It’s lucky I knew the storyline.

I turned the TV off and went to take my meds. As I came back through Joey had gone into his cage so I was able to wish him goodnight and turn the light off again even though I felt I owed him some light time. My work was awaiting me, and what a lot there was. That took me until 10.45 pm and before I started the blog I got undressed. I don’t have any mirrors in here in case I catch a glimpse and know I need an iron. Before I got into my night attire I tried the trousers and waistcoat I bought last Tuesday. What? Of course you remember, the Prince of Wales check I told you about. I thought to wear them tomorrow to show Yvonne if it isn’t pouring down. They fitted fine so I spent two hours removing labels and unstitching the waistcoat pockets. Then at last I was able to start the blog. It will be done by 11.30 pm or at least before I’m due out in the morning.

The Happy Reader

Pops’s little Beauty.

This is for all my Australian friends with thanks for the great music

Monday 11th April.

You should never tempt fate in case one of the small gods is listening, and if they are it might be Somnos. He has less a sense of humour than a sense of spite. I;m never sure what the lesson is I’m supposed to have learned at the end of it and it’s no use asking because he hasn’t either.                                                                                                                                  I was in bed at 11.40 pm with one greased leg outside the covers for a while. I stopped reading and put my light out at 12.29 am. I couldn’t sleep and my mind was racing with thoughts of Ju and Yvonne. I turned the light back on at 1.48 am and had a cigarette to calm myself. The light went off again at 1.57 am. I saw 2.02 am roll past and must have slept…….until 4.01 am when I got up. I knew then I was looking forward to the bus journey when I might nod off again.                                                                                                               After my usual Olympic Triple Jump I signed onto me post box and started on the mail. I was doing quite well when I stopped at 5.00 am to take my meds and have some breakfast which today was a toasted bap. It was while I was leaning on the food counter eating that I looked at the kitchen windowsill and realised I hadn’t done Ju’s flowers from the new ones I’d bought on Friday. I brought her vase in so I wouldn’t forget. Once breakfast was over I put all the old flowers in the sink and sorted the dead from the live. Then I snipped all the old ones and put them back in the vase. I had two bunches of new ones, one of which was the same carnations that I already had in the vase so I just opened those out into a vase on the kitchen windowsill. The bunch of mixed flowers I arranged among the old ones until it looked artistic enough. Fresh water and some flower food then I put them back where they belong in the lounge.

I took my coffee and returned to work. I was done with the mail by 6.30 am apart from odd ones coming in. I wouldn’t touch the flood as I’d be almost ready to leave for the bus stop then. I’d be wearing my jeans after all as it was bucketing down outside. I got dressed. As time went on I left the house and half way to the bust stop the rain ceased. How typical is that. The bus was a few minutes early so I put my cigarette out and got aboard. The bus sat there for five minutes before moving off again. I can see a pattern emerging for today. The journey was at least restful.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     In Chester we were a couple of minutes early and there was no sign of Yvonne so I lit a cigarette and walked to meet them, hiding behind a column when I saw them coming so I  could say ‘BOO’ to Roobs. It was good he reacted with a smile. Things looked up for me a bit when I was successful at finding a gift for my great nephew’s birthday and was able to get a tee-shirt for Roobs and a little dress and cardie for Amelie from the same place. No arguments from Yvonne. Wow!! We went over to our usual shop for coffee an I was able to hold Amelie. Poor little lamb is still coughing though the doctor says she’s OK. She hasn’t slept well either but it doesn’t seem to have changed her happy nature. While Yvonne fed her I had a little look round and picked up a couple of nice cushions, a single bed set and then some shoes for Ami that Yvonne found and I snatched off her. I know it’s rude to snatch but it’s the only way to win an argument with her.

A Wander down the street because Yvonne wanted some things for the changes she’s having in her kitchen. Washing up bowl,plate drainer, cutlery holder etc and Roobs wanted a toy crocodile. I managed to hand cash over to the young assistant while she saw me confiscate Yvonne’s credit card. Winner again.YES!!  I shut my ears and started to hum then. Amelie was coughing again and I agreed it was worrying so Yvonne spoke to the doctor and made an appointment for this afternoon. We visited a last shop when I managed to find a leather belt in the sale and a pair of braces (suspenders) and I think another tee-shirt for Roobs. Then it was time to walk to the bus stop again. I had a nice journey home but didn’t sleep, probably the excitement at being so successful this morning. I managed to call in on Pauline on the way home then went home to have some lunch.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             After lunch I had to walk to the chemist’s to hand in my repeat prescription request and on the way back I saw Bert by his door. He indicated a parcel had arrived for me. When I got it home I opened it to find the gift I’d chosen for Jo’s birthday in a million pieces so had to start trying to get hold of the seller . I took photographs to send and that meant messing about with batteries in two cameras before I managed it, then having to connect a multi usb port to the computer so I could link a card reader to that. I did that and linked a report. Later on they responded they’d try to get another to me. It looks like I don’t have to post the pieces back to them as it wasn’t insured anyway. I hope they’re able to do it as I think it’s the perfect gift for her.

Finally I was able to start on the mail. It was about 2.00 pm. I had to work through until 5.00 pm to break the back of it and I’m ashamed to say there were ones I just deleted today rather than deal with them. I had a message from Yvonne that the doctor had sent them to the pediatrician who is keeping Ami in overnight. They say she has brochiolitis (which I’ve never heard of) with a reflux problem. I hope they manage to fix things quickly and it doesn’t lead to asthma later like her Dad.                                                At 5.00 pm I broke off to watch my Cold Case. I was there till 9.30 pm tonight as I fell asleep at the start of Sanctuary. Joey kindly woke me up nattering, probably to tell me it was his bedtime and I was snoring or something. I took my meds and came through. It was 10.51 pm when I finished the mail. Or at least what had come through till then. There may be more by now. It’s 11.40 pm and I’ve nearly done here so should I go to bed or check to see id there’s more mail to do? Hmmm, quandry.

Feeding squiggles

I shouldn’t watch horror stories before bed.

Tuesday 12th April.

12.05 am into bed after dealing with a little more mail. I read until almost 1.00 am and turned the light out. Sleep wasn’t far away. I woke this morning convinced it was 6.05 am but I was either telling a lie or living in Hope. Since Hope is a village in Wrexham and the saying goes, Live in Hope , Die in Caergwrle  which is the village next door, I preferred the lie. Ir was actually 3.26 am. I  started on the mail and had a couple from Yvonne to show she’d not getting much sleep in hospital with Amelie. Am has had 2 coughing fits and one big reflux vomit which have all been missed because she isn’t hooked up to any monitors. Here’s hoping they do something right and get to the bottom of this.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 At 4.30 am I went through to take my meds and have breakfast. VEGETARIANS PLEASE LOOK AWAY NOW AND KEEP THINKING CORNFLAKES.  It’s been on my mind so much lately and I’ve seen so many cruel blogs mention it, that yesterday I bought a packet of bacon. Knowing I had it made the need much greater and this morning I had two bacon baps for breakfast. An even worse confession……..I wasn’t even enjoying them and almost gave up after one, but the last few mouthfulls did it, they restored my faith, well that and tomato sauce. I returned to work, complete with smirk at 5.01 am. I was done with the first batch by 5.55 am. I went to sit in the lounge for a while.

When I returned at 7.00 am there were just a baker’s dozen to be done. By 7.15 am that was up by 100. I made the scream as silent as possible though I know my right hand neighbour is currently in hospital, I didn’t want Bert to wake up and be jealous I had a girl in here. I got stuck in. Poor Joey , I’d opened his cage but not stayed with him and he was creating decibels of grumbling. Still, I carried on and worked until 9.56 am then left the rest and went through. He shut up for all of 30 seconds when I arrived then started with the recriminations about giving him time. I put HUtH on and thought that might soothe him. Not one iota. He went on and on and on right up until I left the room again at 11.00 am and that finally shut him up because he hadn’t finished. I finished the work that I’d left and most if the new mail before I put my shoes on at 11.40 am for the second part of the promise to myself. The Chippy for some curry sauce.                                                                                                                                                                                              Disaster struck. I took my pre-foodies and dashed to the chippy.Sausage, chips, mushy peas and curry sauce all safe in my bag. Another dash home before the 15 minutes is up where I have to eat. I just about made it. Chips out on plate, add sausages, add mushy peas, add cur….What! This is gravy Gahhh. Don’t get me wrong I like gravy but if I wanted that I could do it at home. It wasn’t a very happy meal with me chunnering away on one side of the room and Joey chunnering away on the other. To add insult to injury, Bargain Hunt was presented by the one so called expert I really can’t warm too. He’s annoying to the N’th degree and I haven’t met a fan yet. I wasn’t keen but I really went off him when he broke something in someone’s shop on The Road Trip and tried to hide it……..in front of millions of watchers!!

Before 1.00 pm I’d had enough of my lunch and of the presented so I went to put the rest of my chips in the food recycling bin and then washed up. I took my two post-food tabs and came back through to my room until 2.15 pm when I’ll either see the Dr Blake mystery or sleep through it. I made it in time for Dr Blake though it’s one I’ve seen before and I didn’t sleep through it. Nor did I sleep through the Indian Doctor. At 3.45 pm I was back on another catch up mission till 5.00 pm and found out that they might let Amelie out of hospital this evening as the x-ray is clear and the blood tests aren’t conclusive as they keep coagulating. Now it seems though that they think she has whooping cough which is news to me as there’s none of the distinctive sound at all, and she’s been innoculated against it. Anyway I disappeared at 5.00 pm for my usual shows…and I slept through none of them…… and came back to my emails to find that they’ve released her from hospital and told Yvonne to carry on with what she’s doing and that if there’s still reflux and no weight gain she’ll have to wean her. They’re to go back in 6-8 weeks for a check to see if her weight has gained (Amelie’s not Yvonne’s). I can’t really tell how happy Yvonne is (except to be home again) but I know it leaves me a little confused

Back to the plot.For some reason there was a lot of mail at 9.00 pm and it’s not like I’ve ignored any worse than usual. I ignore all equally. It was 10.47 before I was straight again. Then on to the blog with the bad news that I’ve run out of photographs and Yvonne hasn’t had chance to take more yet. Make this one last.

Almost fluorescent.

This is special

This is your Music.

Wednesday 13th April.

Bed 11.45 pm.Light out 12.30 am as I thought I was ready for sleep. When I slept there was a minor hiccup at 2.18 am which was over quickly. I slept until 3.36 am without another problem. A quick hop to the loo and I was back in my chair ready to do battle with the mail like I’dd never been away. At 4.40 am  I’d dealt with the 22 that were there and decided it was time for meds and breakfast.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    When I came back after my cornflakes there was fresh mail waiting which took me till 6.25 am so I nipped to my chair in the lounge and got my head down while I’d a chance. Like an infernal alarm clock Joey woke me at 7.30 am so I let him out and came back to work. The floodgates had opened. I worked till 10.00 pm when I’d almost done and went to watch HUtH. I had a text from Jade to say she’d be here at 12.30 pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                    I returned to the labour at 11.00 pm and worked until 11.45 pm when I went to feed myself on a minced beef hotpot with a buttered bap and a Rolo pudding for afters. It took a while to do after I’d taken the pre-foodies but I was still in time to see Bargain Hunt from the start. Annoyingly I was still there to see Bargain Hunt at the end too.

I came back to work. About 1.15 pm though Jade arrived with her young stepson in tow. First she helped me make the bed I’d been fretting about then I left her to carry on with the lounge while I occupied myself with the thoughts of all my friends. All I can say is, Stop thinking so much will you, or at least stop writing it down. If you must write it down, write slower as I can’t read very fast. I could hear Jade getting on with the cleaning in the background, the hum of the hoover and the swish of the mop on the kitchen floor. Heavens, such descriptiveness, I should write a novel. When she’d finished I still had a few messages to do but nothing to worry about. I went through to pay her and also to give him a little something for his help. I know he carried polish and dusters for her. As soon as they left I was settled in my chair to watch The Indian Doctor. I was there until 4.00 pm which hopefully gave me enough time to finish whatever messages there were before Dil’s arrival. I just about made it for 4.30 pm and got through  to the kitchen just as he arrived. I was making his tea as he entered the lounge.                                                                                                                                                                                                   We nattered a while about our weekends and he told me his fitness regime had now lost him a stone and 5 pounds. He has a watch on his wrist that counts his steps- he has to do 10,000 a day Tells him how many calories he’s burned off so he can be sure to eat less that that amount during the day. It can tell him how many sets of stairs he’s climbed. It’s really quite amazing, but it can’t wash the pots. Anyhoo, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is appears to have replaced one programme and I didn’t realise it until I turned on for our quiz. I must be sure to try and see that tomorrow.

After the quiz was over the TV went off and the Yahtzee came out. That bit of lead I poured into the dice last week is working, the bandages didn’t get in the way too much. The first set finished 3-3 but the second set was 4-2 in my favour. I forgot the weighted dice would work for him as well. That went away and we both made a bolt for the loo, I don’t know why as the key works perfectly well. Out came the Trivial Pursuits. What a chase. Dil landed on the segment questions and got 3 in short order. I could answer questions but not get on the important ones. Before too long I caught up and then took the lead to 4-3, 5-3, 5-4 and 6-4. While Dil struggled to get his last two pieces I struggled to reach the middle. If I needed a 2 I got a 3 always I went straight over the middle. I actually got there when Dil had earned his last two pieces. Naturally he asked me a sports question which I wasn’t going to get. Dil worked his way round trying to get to the middle and he actually got there before I managed my second visit. He didn’t get the question right though and had to leave with a curse. I didn’t get my second question in the middle right either. He had a horrible smug grin on his face as he landed there again. Time was getting on so I didn’t go for the worst question on the card. He answered it and won. Reasonably honours even again.

After I’d said Good riddance bye and Dil had gone, I tidied up, washed the pots and closed Joey’s cage. Wishing him goodnight I came through to start work again. The mail took me to 10.40 pm then I was able to start the blog. It’s going to be about an hour in total so I can get some sleep before MuJo tomorrow.

Ambition.

Terrible miming but a fantastic song and a film everyone should be made to watch.

Thursday 14th April.

In bed by 11.45 pm and light off at 12.30 am. I stopped reading when I realised I was happily reading the same paragraphs more than once. Sleep wasn’t too long in coming once the light went off and I turned on my side. Up time was 3.58 am so quite a reasonable night. There were a few false starts at the Triple Jump Olympic pee trials this morning so it was a few hours minutes before I got to log on. While the mail was loading I went to my bank and checked the pension had gone in. Next week I shall be checking on my private pension and seeing if that’s increased so I can notify the housing benefit people again and the Council Tax. I think all benefits will probably end from then. It’s strange that so often the only way I know  about an increase in my private pension is when I get it  rather than be notified in advance. That always means when I notify the relevant bodies and the increase is processed it creates an overpayment. Whereas if I knew in advance, I could get the notifications in before an overpayment happens and just adjust my payments. Some years there have been no increases so there’s no problem.

Once I’d finished with my banking I signed out and started work on the morning mail. At 5.00 am I broke off to take my meds and have breakfast. I was also able to set the washing machine going with yesterday’s bedding. I’m so glad I don’t I*on ( I can’t bring myself to swear) it as that pile is getting ever higher. I may have to raise the roof soon. There was a fair bit of mail, a lot of which had links to other blogs I needed to check out but I didn’t feel under pressure and in fact had caught up by 6.15 am. I tried laying on the bed and seeing if I could manage a little more sleep. It worked, I was there till 7.05 am. Then as I was working on the post some fool opened the floodgates and I was stuck at my desk until 9.32 am before I could go empty the washing machine. Once I’d emptied the machine I flitted up to the chemist and asked of they could deliver my drugs last thing because I’d be out with my visitors. They know which side of their chocolates are buttered and said No Problem. I had my lottery done at Pauline’s and was still home before HUtH. I only got half way through it today before MuJo arrived.

I went to see to drinks while Joey told them off for talking while he was interrupting. We had a good natter about what’s been happening in the fortnight since we’ve seen each other. Muriel loved her books but John really loved the canvas I’d had done of him in his black robe, he looks positively sinister and he loves it. We went out at 11.30 am and headed to Holywell so Muriel could go to the Post Office, it gave John the chance to visit the three charity shops he likes so much and as usual he came out with a couple of things. We went into the chippy which was pretty empty for a market day but it meant quick service and I finally got my curry sauce. Muriel managed to snaffle the bill this time by colluding with the waitress. After lunch we headed off to Flint. We hit two places for Mu to do some shopping before going to the retail park and having a coffee at Temptations. At least I got to pay there. I handed over the chocolates to Ceri and Sian and Ceri asked when Mike would be back. I had a text to say he was home and would see me tomorrow night after he’d been to Manchester to see his Dad. Ceri isn’t usually in on a Saturday morning these days so won’t see him anyway.                                                  We went off to B&M where John got some plastic flowers he wanted and I found a blue poppy design throw which I want to try on my settee with the two beautiful blue cushions I bought in Chester on Monday last. What, you’ve forgotten already?

It was gone 4.00 pm before we headed home and I was a bit worried about my drugs but it was OK, Pete came about 4.45 pm which was perfect. I’d found a note through the door to say a delivery had been left next door so I went to ask Bert about it and left MuJo being told off again by Joey. Bert didn’t seem to be in, but as I closed the door at home the bell rang and there he was. They were two small parcels and both for John’s birthday so not the replacement head (intact) I’d been hoping for. MuJo left me about 5.00 pm. I made a sandwich then watched the last few minutes of PYMWYMI before going to my Cold Case, (awake) Without a Trace (awake) and SG1 (I saw the first 15 minutes). When I woke it was 10 minutes into Sanctuary so I just turned off knowing there was a lot of work waiting for me after my outing. It took me from 8.20 pm after my meds until 10.50 pm to reach any semblance of order so that I could start the blog. I’ll either carry on with mail afterwards or finish it tomorrow morning. The worst news in my post is that Amelie is back in hospital again having spent last night throwing up again. This time she’s being fed on a drip to give her some nutrients to stop weight loss and to prevent dehydration. I think they’re treating it more seriously this time. I feel sorry for Yvonne if it’s another overnight stay as there’s no sleep to be had on a ward like that unless you’re a baby.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         To cheer myself up here are two pics Yvonne sent me of when she was OK. I just love this face.

Gorgeous.

Gorgeous at play.

For Fun…..

Music….

Friday 15th April. The Prodigal’s return.

Well, nice and easy last night. I stopped work at midnight regardless of what post there was and went straight to bed. I read until 1.05 am so I could finish a third chapter. My brain wasn’t too unkind and I managed to sleep right through to 4.29 am. I must have been really tired. I started on the mail as soon as I’d been to the Piddle Palace then broke off at 5.15 am so I could take my meds and prepare next weeks lot in the empty boxes. I also had some breakfast then returned to my room ready to carry on at 6.00 am. From about 6.30 am I spent time cropping a photograph that was taken some years ago on a good camera that didn’t have a lot of megapixels going for it. It’s a very rare thing to have a photo of MuJo together so I was using the old one but trying to get rid of so much background to concentrate on them. I was worried that two crops would mean they couldn’t do a canvas so I’ve submitted the end result to them to find out before placing an order. I’ve been pleased with what I’ve had from this firm so far. I’ll wait and see what they have to say.

The new mail started coming in as I was working so even though I suddenly felt like a kip I carried on until clear at 9.18 am. I ran from the room to make sure Joey was OK and thought I’d stay a while in case he needed me. cough. I actually stayed until HUtH was finished at 11.00 am before running through towards my room. I didn’t get further than the front door because at that moment the bell rang and I could see the postman’s coat. Yay, a parcel. And that was it, a parcel singular, not what I’d expected or hoped for today. I thanked him and came through to open it, I knew it wasn’t the replacement head which was just as well because I could hear movement. It was a window washer and all was well. Feeling a bit uninspired I sat at the computer preparing to beat out my masterpiece of such biting wit when the doorbell went again. This time it was the postman from the post van , not the foot soldier and I knew he had in his arms just what I wanted. I shook it gently but heard and felt nothing so signed my name and brought it in to open. It’s a bugger trying to use scissors with your fingers crossed. It was in one piece so I packed it away safely until I can wrap it.                                                        It was now almost 11.30 am and I’d done nothing. I started work but had to finish at 11.55 am to go and start peeling my potatoes for lunch. Bangers, mash and beans today and I just managed to finish preparing them before the goods went to the auction on Bargain Hunt. The first thing I see when I turn on is Charles Hanson, I swear he’s haunting me now, on so many shows, and presenting it again today. I’ll have to start giving it a miss.

At 1.00 pm I returned to work and just managed to bring myself up to date by 2.25 pm. Relieved I took a break and found The Indian Doctor was on, a double bill  so I enjoyed myself. Between 4.00 pm and 5.00 pm I got my head down and finished the fresh mail so I was free for the evening and the promised return of the prodigal. The message came at 5.40 pm ‘On my way Bro’. I thought it would take him till about 6.30 pm if the Friday night traffic wasn’t too bad. At 6.30 pm during the adverts in Without a Trace I put sugar and coffee in his mug an set the kettle to boil. SG1 had started at 7.00 pm before he finally arrived wearing his striped blazer like he was on holiday or something, in our climate too. Naturally he was talking ten to the dozen. Worse than Joey he was. At 8.00 pm we watched Celebrity Mastermind before I went for a shower. But he came to wash my hair like old times before I washed which made my life so much easier. Much less chance of an angina attack.                                                                                  After the shower I went back through to the lounge and watched Have I Got News For You with him before coming through to work. Plenty of emails waiting for me then. It was 11.15 pm before I was clear. Fast typing gibberish on the keyboard means bed will be about midnight with luck. I think I’m on target for that if I can find a good song tonight.

No photos of the kids today as Yvonne and Amelie were in hospital again last night and a good bit of today. But they let her out this afternoon again as she must be breathing a bit easier. Yvonne has been told though not to hesitate to go back if she feels things aren’t any better. I hope that’s not going to happen.                                                                         So, I’m going to share a picture with you of Julia an the day she was a very excited Mummy at our daughter’s wedding.

The embodiment of pride and excitement.

Saturday 16th April.

Bed 12.05 am, lights out 12.55 am Zzzzzz to 3.56 am. Is the condensed version, but I’m happy with that. A swift skip to the loo and at 4.05 am U was signing into the mail. Makes you wonder what life would be like if I actually lived it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I worked until 5.00 am then broke off for breakfast and meds .When I returned about 5.30 am there had only been another 6 delivered so with what was there I was free at 6.15 am to do the food bin and the recycling bags. Easy-peasy lemon squeezy.                                                                                                                                                                                                   Before Mike had gone to bed last night he’d asked me what time he was to get up. To be fair, I’ve never specified a time, he just knows I like to shop early away from the crowds. This time I just answered “When you get up” because  I’ve no idea what jet lag does to a body. This could be dangerous as you can tell from what time he often rises on a Sunday, heck, it could even be Sunday before he gets up. All I can do is prepare his mug and take a coffee through as and when his alarm rings.

Mike dragged himself out of bed at 6.30 am and with a bit of effort was ready to leave at 7.10 am. I’d done all the rubbish by then and was raring to go. When we arrived it was just like we’d been there before, him trolley, me cash machine. I picked flowers for Ju and then we had a look at the sale where I picked up a sweet little outfit for Amelie. Roobs wasn’t so lucky this time. After w e’d finished there Mike put the shopping in the car. He’d mentioned last night needing a set of shelving, freestanding and solid as his wall wouldn’t take the weight of shelves attached to it. I asked whether he’s checked Argos and he said yes but he didn’t like what they had. He had a specific type in mind. So, leaving there we headed for the new store The Range, no joy. The same at B&M and then Charlies. Mike suggested a second hand place close by and on our way to Temptations. No joy there either. When we reached Flint I suggested we have a look in a Trade place for builders etc but nothing doing. We went to Temptations so he could let them know he was back and use that as an excuse for a quick grope. I don’t know how he gets away with it…..but he does. Ceri was amazed I didn’t order a teasted toecake for him but little did she know he’d had a huge breakfast bap in The Range.

Coming out I just checked again whether he’d been to Argos and he admitted he hadn’t but thought they wouldn’t have it. I marched him there Toot Sweet ( what a linguist) and we checked the catalogue. I found what I thought he wanted and it was. And the price wasn’t bad either. Even better when we typed the number to see if they had one in stock it was a third off ( No missus, all the shelves were there, I meant the price) a full £13 off. No hesitation he bought it. Feeling greatly relieved we went to lunch at the CookHouse in Prestatyn. The sun was shining and there was a little warmth in it so quite a few people were eating in the garden, most managed to ignore the little tinge of blue to their skin. Mike and I sat inside to make sure the food didn’t run away before we got ours. The meal was lovely and the meat as tender as usual. When we came out Mike commented I should now get rid of the red cushions (my contrast) from the settee now the throw is blue and there are two dark blue cushions. Being close to a shop I’ve used before I begrudgingly bought four lighter blue ones, two for the settee and one each for the armchairs. Now he says he doesn’t like the feel of the cushion behind him. When I suggested another place for it he moved out of reach.

We came home and once the shopping was away and Bert had been with my parcels (more canvases) I was able to come and work. I did from 2.00 pm to 5.30 pm then went and joined Mike for a break. I had another little stint between 8.00 pm – 9.00 pm when there was nothing within the range of my patience on TV. I know some very funny naturally funny people ( Mike is one) and many write blogs. Chris, the story reading ape is one and like me, many of my friends follow him. But fairly recently I cam across a gem of a man with impeccable timing. Some of you will know him and follow him but for anyone who doesn’t please allow me to introduce you to Bun Karyudo                             on https://bunkaryudo.wordpress.com/2016/04/16/pockets-hugs-and-the-onset-of-spring/    enjoy!                                                                                                                                                When I went back to the lounge at 9.00 pm Mike had put a film on which looked interesting enough for me to stay around so I did . When it finished at 10.00 pm I shut Joey’s cage, took my meds and came through for the rest of the night. Mike stayed put until 11.00 pm then came through to say goodnight.It was about that time I started the blog and I’m fast approaching the end of it now. I’ll be in bed around midnight I think.

Poorly Granddaughter

Sympathetic Grandson

Scrooge is alive and Well & Dongle Dismay

Sunday 6th March

I was in bed at 12.17 am last night and my light out for about 12.45 am due to being tired. I hate being deprived of my power naps and sulk so much you could rest a cuppa on my bottom lip. Wake up time was 4.36 am but I didn’t feel begrudging. Maybe I’ll get double the power naps today. After the inevitable skip to the loo (my darling) I started work on the mail. At 5.15 am I broke off to take meds and make a coffee to bring back then returned in the hope of clearing all before 6.10 am. I finished my last post at 6.08 am. Of course my break was only for two minutes before it all had to start again. I just carried on and was clear at 8.55 am for a while. I’d just stood up to go to the lounge and see Joey when I heard Mike’s alarm go off. I was shocked. Joey got his cage door open but I had to go and put the kettle on.

I took a drink through just as the second alarm sounded. A few burbling sounds greeted me and I knew he wouldn’t be up in a hurry. It was 9.30 am with the last bit of his alarm ringing in his ears. By that time I’d almost snuggled down in my chair and nodded off but he wasn’t having that. I left him in the lounge with his coffee while I went for a shave and to get dressed. We were out of the house a little after 10.30 am and on our way to the Greyhound Retail Park in Chester. We had a good look round the shops for a console table or something similar to hold the heads he bought yesterday but nothing seemed to please him. We both ended up buying another head each, me a very slim Buddha’s head and Mike a skull with inscriptions all over it. Gruesome but intriguing.                                                                                                                                                                        Dinner looked like it would be a problem as Prestatyn is in the opposite direction to where we were. I din’t want a pizza place again and wasn’t keen on going to Frankie  and Benny’s. I suppose we could have gone a short distance into the city for a pub meal but we settled on a cafe inside ASDA. Mike was really taken with the coffee.

Afterwards I suggested a look round one more shop for ideas if nothing else. It was remarkable, all the time wasted earlier and I take him there. He picked up a box of three children’s wall cubes down from £15 to £5 and decided they’d be perfect ( Scrooge). A head on each. From now on I’m going to plan the route and then cross off everything except the last. We came home again and I leaned against the front door (the inside or I’d have fallen over) and refused to let him go until he’d done the flowers. I stuck around till they were done then threw him out. He was intending to listen to his team play as he drove home. I was able to start work. It was 4.00 pm.

I worked until 6.00 pm then went and made some tea. I remained with Joey through Beowulf and then The Midwife but gave up at 9.00 pm and came to start again. That took me until just gone 10.30 pm when I was able to at least start the blog. It should be an early night hallelujah.

It wasn’t me!

Monday 7th March.

My early night was so much wishful thinking thanks to a late flurry of mail, but I suppose 11.55 pm counts. It was just gone midnight before I slid between the sheets and I use that word advisedly since I’d just slathered my legs in gunk. I enjoyed a read despite thinking I’d be too tired for that and the light went out at 12.48 am. Even then it was a while before I could sleep as I had to find cold spots for my legs to help stop the itching. I woke this morning at 4.53 am.                                                                                                A quick hop, step and jump to the loo and then to the kitchen to take my meds. I didn’t bother with breakfast as I wanted a run at my mail first. I brought a coffee back and signed in. There was more mail than I expected with friends still commenting on Saturday night’s blog post.  I got stuck in but couldn’t clear them all before the new day’s mail burst into being.

At 7.30 pm Joey was tweeting again without even using a computer. The mornings are much lighter for him now. I opened the cage and returned to work. At 8.45 am I went to start the washing machine, something I should have remembered to do when I first went to the kitchen. When I came back I worked until 9.20 am to finally get up to date. Time to go to Pauline’s. There was quite a queue in the shop but I wasn’t in a rush. When I got to the counter I expected conversation about the weather but it was actually about chips with curry sauce.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 The tumble drier went on when I returned as the wash cycle had finished. I did that then went to Mike’s room and put the box with the computer on the bed and carefully unpacked it. There was a little table there which I set up close to the plug. Lee said I should check it before he comes to be sure I have no problems with the seller. I didn’t have time to do it just then as the warden-Bev- arrived earlier than usual. She stayed for a good half an hour chatting before going off to meet a social worker.

Joey came out and landed on the mirror (as always) and started tap-tapping his beak against the beak of the impertinent bird the other side of the glass. I took the opportunity to bring his cage down to floor level so I could remove the base totally and take it through to the kitchen for cleaning. Before that I had cleaned all the detritus off the objects under the place he often sits in the cage. With the base replaced and fresh sand paper added I put the cage back and went to pick up a fruit and honey seed stick for him as I’d run out of seed bells. He didn’t even seem too bothered as I replaced the cage right under where he was sitting. At 11.00 am I went through to set up the computer to test it. An older desk top base and a slightly newer monitor but the necessary cables were there so despite problems I managed to put it together. The most awkward problem I could see if that there were just two USB slots. With the mouse and keyboard in place I’ll have problems. The printer should be OK I hope as I don’t think that’s USB but my webcam will be and so will my speakers I think. Now I think about it, I don’t recall a place for my headphones either. Still, these are minor crises that can be overcome. Since there isn’t a slot to read memory cards I’ll need a USB for a card reader too. Ebay here I come.

At 12.15 pm, assured that everything was working OK  I broke off to watch Bargain Hunt. Before it started I grabbed my pre-food tablets. As the start of the show isn’t (to me) as important as the finish I was able to put my meal in the microwave and empty the drier, putting everything on the airer. I dashed through once the microwave binged me and got my meal to eat in front of the TV. I didn’t miss any of the auction nor one team making £135 profit on one item. An antiques show and the best profit is on an item made from  resin!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     At 1.00 pm  I turned the TV off much to Joey’s disgust and came through here adding to his disgust and his squawking displeasure. There was plenty to do which also included a visit to Ebay as I’d promised myself. I was spoiled for choice.                                                                                                                                                                                                           At 3.00 pm I started playing yo-yo by going back to the TV for  A Place in the Country  until 3.45 pm then back here until my regular departure at 4.30 pm. The cycle then proceeded as usual, Flog It, Cold Case and Without a Trace until 7.00 pm and then new to this channel for me Stargate. The only problem has been that I saw the start of Without a Trace then nodded off until halfway through Stargate. Two programmes where I couldn’t follow the storyline.

At 9.00 pm I reminded Joey it was bedtime and like a good lad he went into his cage. I wandered through to the kitchen and took my meds with my eyes roaming everywhere for something to chomp on. I wasn’t hungry, just a greedy pig. In the end I had nothing as my willpower shone through. Lights out I came through to work knowing there would be a good bit to catch up on. Who cares, sleep is overrated anyway.

That crockledile is ready for those fingers. Any mo’ now.

Note, I wore a more conservative yellow for St. David’s Day.

  Sorry,it’s the best version I can find.

Tuesday 8th March.

Bed was around 11.30 pm and of course I had to read for a while. Two chapters of this one took me more or less to 12.25 am and lights out. I didn’t have much wriggling last night as I’d read with my whole body out of the covers and my legs were col. Some nights it’s just too nippy to do that. I was up at 3.09 am this morning so had time to clear a few items of mail before having to leave for Chester. I had my fingers crossed for a nice day as most of yesterday had been. Bright but with a crispness in the air. I’m fed up of the damp now.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Once the triple jump to the Kingdom of Karsie was done I came back and logged on. There was plenty of mail and I had a good start with it. I did break off at 4.00 am though to go and get my meds and have breakfast. Indecisive as ever I couldn’t settle on either cereal or toast so my wonderful diabetic intuition told me Both. The cereal was Rice Krispies ( come on Kellog’s, I’m doing product adverts for you here). Things were going well Having had a spoonful of cereal I went for the toast next bu dropped it from a height. Somebody’s law (Murphy’s?) dictated where it had to land and moments later it looked like I had facial boils, including my glasses. Oliver Cromwell and his ‘ Paint me, boils and all’ would have been proud. I looked like a plague victim and so did the surrounding work surface. Fortunately for me I didn’t have to have reconstructive surgery (though many say I should) nor even go round with a sterile needle.

It was about 4.45 am when I returned to the computer which I thought should have come awake a lot quicker given that it had slept longer than me. I continued with the mail and was clear at 5.35 am though stragglers kept coming in. I opened up Ebay and started looking for coz presents ( here’s a present coz I love you). Sometimes it’s nice instead of an egg at Easter. Hm, sometimes it’s nice as well as an egg at Easter.I had a message from Lee who said he was surprised I could only find 2 USB ports on the new computer since it’s standard to have more. Knowing I’d ordered the hub with 4 on I didn’t worry too much but something made me go and take another look. First off, there are two USB ports on the front of the base which is magic for putting my card reader on, but on the back I found 4 more (I think) apart from the two I’m using. How the heck did I miss 6 ports like that? Tomorrow night it should all be up and running and I don’t mind admitting I’m nervous. I almost tried to persuade Lee to put Windows 7 on the existing computer and I’d carry on with it for now, perhaps update the memory and the HDD at a later date. What surprises me is how blase he is about the change. He reckons 10 minutes to download the files I want to the slave HDD and then just attaching that to the new one and uploading them. It will take a while but doesn’t need my attention. The thing I want most at the moment is my SKYPE back.

At 7.20 am I got my coat on and made ready to leave. I opened Joey’s cage so he had freedom while I was out, closed the lounge door and left. I’d put on a sports jacket because it looked quite nice but of course it started raining half way up the hill. I tried to speed up, I may be shrink proof but I’m not sure about the clothes. Two other buses stopped to see if I wanted to get on but I waited for mine who was almost back to the old time of 7.45 am. The journey was OK except I had to keep trying to do a Whoopi Goldberg and get the traffic lights to change. There were delays with roadworks. Somehow we were only about 3 minutes later than usual. I thanked the driver and got off. They were waiting for me in the bus shelter as it was raining in Chester too.                                                                                                                                                                                       There was a big grin off Reuben and a lovely hug from Yvonne. Amelie snored gently in her pram. We headed for an old shop in new premises to get out of the rain. It was very nice, a lot more stock and very roomy. Once we’d had a good look round and Reuben had a new toy we left to go for coffee. He really showed his displeasure when we bypassed a toy shop he wanted to go in even though Yvonne said we could go there after a drink. Heavens, Reuben can throw a better tantrum than me when he doesn’t get his own way. Take me out of a shop when I’m looking and watch me perform.

We had our coffee and I had hold of Amelie who’d woken up. She wanted her breakfast too. When it came to feeding time Roobs was watching something on Yvonne’s phone and she was obviously otherwise engaged, I said I’d take a walk. Now you have to be fair here. I found some nice bedding in the sale but didn’t buy it. However, I walked round the gents section and came out with a shirt and 3 jumpers for less than 20 quid. It’s not my fault, If Amelie didn’t want feeding and if Yvonne didn’t give in to her, I wouldn’t have been alone and seen this stuff. Yvonne looked very surprised when I returned with my bag and said t was time to go. I didn’t admonish her as I’m a very generous chap.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      We moved on to the shop Reuben had wanted before and I found a book there for emergencies. He got another toy. Again we moved on, this time to the Grosvenor Precinct which is the main shopping centre on Chester. I managed to get something nice for Amelie and some lovely long gloves Yvonne liked as well as a watch for Ugo. Then it was time to go for my bus. I was on time and had a decent journey home. I called into Pauline’s and for some reason bought 3 scratch cards. When I got home and had a tongue lashing from you know who, I took my pre-foodies and set a chips and curry sauce on. It’s a new make and the timings are very different. It has more chips and more sauce and the latter has a very fruity genuine curry taste though still very mild. I enjoyed it. Once lunch was over I couldn’t go to sleep so came through to see what the damage was.

I worked from 1.30 pm  to 5.00 pm before having a break. I hadn’t caught up. I had my programmes from 5.00 pm until 9.00 pm before coming back to have another go. More had come through since the world never sleeps. It kept me going until 10.40 pm until I was clear and able to start the blog. It’s a midnight finish.

At Betws y Coed

Also at Betws y Coed

Wednesday 9th March

I made it to bed at 11.50 pm  and read until about 12.30 am when I put my light out. Falling asleep wasn’t a problem, staying asleep was though. I’d fall asleep for to or three minutes and was then awake again. That must have happened 5 times. Eventually I fell asleep and stayed that way until 4.18 am when I woke properly and ready to face the new day. Well almost. First the Piddle Palace and then the kitchen where I took my meds including my pre-foodies and then had breakfast, a toasted bap today with strawberry jam. I came back to start work coffee in hand. I worked until about 5.00 am when Microsoft informed me it was closing down for updates. I told it to postpone for 4 hours and threw myself into the mail. After about 20 minutes it suddenly closed down. I hate that happening. Luckily when it came back it brought the appropriate pages where I’d been back up again.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I started again and finished at 6.05 am. I sat in my chair head back, relaxing. Not enough to nod off though. Eventually the new lot came. 14 at first and I thought all would be OK. I’d only done 2 when it jumped to 33, to 64 and thence to 97. I just kept going and had to fight the urge to nod off, especially as I relaxed and burned my hand on a cigarette I was holding in the other hand. 9.42 am showed on the clock before I finally finished. Joey was delighted.

I did watch HUtH with Joey but as he yattered all the way through it I’m beginning to think he doesn’t care about the programme, just about me being in there suffering earache. Some gratitude that is. At 11.00 am I returned to work and wondered why I hadn’t heard from Jade who assured me last week that it would be Wednesday this week. Mind you, she did say that the week before as well. At 11.45 am I was clear again and went for lunch. I took my pre-foodies then went to the chippie. I’d just got back when Jade sent me a text to say either 3.00 pm today or 2.00 pm tomorrow, she’d let me know within the hour. By 3.30 pm it was pretty clear to an intellect as sharp as mine that she wasn’t coming today. A fair chance she wasn’t letting me know either. Fine, next week I’ll work on ESP alone maybe.                                                                                     I kept the mail down as much as possible all afternoon and only stopped at 4.00 pm when I wanted to be handy if Dil came. He turned up at 4.30 pm so I made him a cup of tea and we chatted. At 5.15 pm we watched out quiz but Lee turned up at 5.25 pm. He and I deserted to look at the computer. I thought all was going to go well now and that Lee would show me how to get the files I wanted onto the slave drive and then I could bring the new one through and transfer the files. I think there must be a new small god I haven’t met yet. My computer wasn’t recognising the slave drive. Lee spent as long as he could trying to find out why not and see whether the problem lay with the computer or the drive. Typically it’s the computer. Quite a major glitch if something has crawled into the woodwork on the back of something else.                                                  He decided the way forward was to put the files I want onto discs and so he showed me drag and drop. That seemed to work. I did one disc and thought I’d try the transfer when it finished. He looked at my skype problem and said just download it as new on the new computer as it’s a bad problem on the current one preventing it. By 6.30 pm he had to go, understandably as he’s been at work all day.

I left all computer related stuff and rejoined Dil for our games. Is there by any chance a small god of the dice too? In the first Yahtzee run I lost 4-2. Not too bothered I started the second run hopeful and won the first two lines, then we had our first ever draw and he won 2 lines. I was determined the last one would be mine. I can still hear the mocking laughter. A disaster. And so, out came the Trivial Pursuit. I was able to answer questions no problem as long as I wasn’t on the square that won me a coloured piece of pie. Dil just romped away. He had 5 pieces in before I got my third. I almost grovelled at his feet when it was time to go and he said “We’ll have to call this a draw” or this would have been the worst day in a long time. Once he’d gone I had a very quick tidy up then washed the pots. I came through and got the disc which I took through to the new computer. I managed to open it no problem but couldn’t find a way of downloading the files. It was quite hard in Mike’s room as I have no computer table in there. OK, forget the files, let’s see if we can solve the Skype problem. I opened the Google Chrome button but it said there was no internet. WHAT !!? I came back here and sure enough the internet is live. On the new one it said no internet detected, none available to connect to. I haven’t an ethernet cable and if I had it’s too far to the box. I think I need to call a professional in to sort it and pay through the nose. Sobbing and chewing a cushion to drown the noise I gave up and came back through to see to the mail. It took until 11.08 pm to clear the last of that and start the blog. Midnight is going to be touch and go.

Scared at the cinema but Roobs is OK.

Looking out for l’il sister.

Thursday 10th March.

Well, midnight came and went and I got to bed at 12.28 am. I read until 1.15 am or until my eyes were ready to close so I didn’t even finish the chapter.  It was another of those nights where I slept for a couple of minutes then woke again as though I’d heard something, I hadn’t.  I woke at 2.28 am as though it was time to get up but I fought back. Eventually I slept again as I knew I would. I woke at 5.12 am and it was getting up time and not in  the delicious sense that means you have a partner still. I did the triple jump to Pee Hall and came back to log on. I was part way through a response to a message when without warning, Grrrr, Microsoft decided to provide some updates. My computer closed down and not a thing I could do about it. That really annoys me. Sometimes I get warning and can postpone things but not today.                                            I headed for the kitchen and took all my meds then made a coffee to bring back. When I got here the screen was waiting for me to log back in. It was 6.15 am and going back to the net I found I’d lost all the response I’d made to the message I’d been reading and had to start again. Worse still of course was that my mailbox was filling with the daily deluge.

At 9.15 am it was time for Pauline’s for my bread and lottery tickets. I walked back with Margaret, one of my neighbours, and we nattered all the way back.I have no idea  what we spoke about so it may have been talking for talking’s sake. So much for my inner calm this morning. At home I managed a few more messages before deserting and going to watch HUtH on TV. The postman brought my USB hub during the programme. I won’t tell you what Joey did on one of his bombing missions. Suffice it to say I hope it’s lucky and that his pocket money will be stopped to pay the cleaning bill. At 11.00 am I returned to work and stayed until 11.57 am when the box was finally cleared. Now time for lunch. I peeled the sweet potato, put the sausages under the grill and when they were due to be turned put the sweet potatoes in the microwave for 7 minutes. I’d just finished plating up when I found myself glancing at my pre-foodies which I’d forgotten to take. No way was I waiting for 15 minutes so I settled on 15 seconds today. I enjoyed my meal and at least remembered to take the two after meal tablets.

At 2.30 pm I received a text saying Jade had been asked to cover for sickness and would be here on Saturday instead. I explained I’m not in on a Saturday but I’d see her next week. She promised Wednesday 100%. I told her I’m keeping the text handy. I spent the next hour online trying to find out which end of the feather duster I hold, it only took so long as I found a few novel ways and enjoyed them. I plugged the end of the hoover wire into the wall but no noise issued forth nor did it pick up anything from my carpet even though I tested it with a plate of biscuit crumbs. I started to put it away and found a little switch on the wall which I clicked. No, still no noise but the music from the radio was nice. I had to take a brush to the crumbs in the end but even though it was specified as a crumb brush it took forever. I need help or at the very least written survival for a single man instructions.

Crumb brush and tray, late Victorian Art Nouveau.

I alternated the afternoon between bouts of working while sobbing uncontrollably at the unfairness of it all and joining Joey for a bit of leisurely TV watching.I the end when I’d vented my frustration on all you in the unreal world, I stayed with TV starting at 5.00 pm with my Cold Case. It was good but I can’t say the same for Without a Trace as I only saw the first ten minutes and fell asleep. The last five minutes at the end made no sense as I made tea in the kitchen instead. Mike had sent a text at 5.00 pm to say he was on his way so I expected him about 7.30 pm. I was watching Star Gate when he sent another text at 7.30 pm to see if I wanted anything from the chippy. My hand acted independently from my brain and sent ‘No thanks’.  He arrived at 7.50 pm and I had to sit here watching him fill his face. It almost made me miss the beginning of Sanctuary. At 9.00 pm I said I was coming through and I waited for him to complain, he must have known I’d stick my arm down his throat as he didn’t say a word.

He went to bed about 10.45 pm and I nipped through to tell him about the scratch cards (which I see I forgot to mention to you). Each card had 4 lines on. On the first card I had one line winning £2 on the second card I had a line of £1, another of £1 one of £2 and the last was again £1. On the third card I won nothing. Can you imagine it, taking my money under false pretences like that. Mike pointed out I’d won £7 for a £3 outlay as though that made a difference, and where was his share. At that point I remembered the bread baking in the oven and had to run. I was done with mail at 10.57 pm and able to start the blog. I’ve assured my fingers of a rest at midnight.

Time for sleepy byes.

The gardener to be….

Divine.

Friday 11th March.

Midnight it was. I crawled into bed and read for slightly more than an hour then lights off and settle down. I must have slept fairly quickly which was good.  I woke up at 2.18 am. I knew there was more sleep to come but first I needed to scratch the skin off my leg then apply some cream  which stung. Not exactly the way the treatment plan was supposed to go but it works for me. I had a cigarette, hobbled to the loo and back then settled down again at 2.30 am and tried to ignore the itching. When I woke properly this morning at 4.43 am I saw that I’d better put a dressing on my leg. I found some steroid cream to hold the dressing on while I taped it , crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. It was itching again before 5.00 pm as I walked towards the kitchen but with a display of will power I ignored it…..for a minute.

I took my drugs, then being Friday I needed to replenish the drug tray. I got my drawer from the lounge and started to stock up, marking the repeat prescription with things I needed again next week. It’s ready to go to the chemist on Monday. Once done, I set the Tassimo to make my coffee, returned the drugs drawer to it’s home, disposed of all the empty packaging and was back just as my coffee was ready. I came back to the bedroom and signed on. It only took until 6.07 am to clear the existing mail. Time for a breather. A short breather by necessity as within minutes the box was filling up again.                                                                                                                                              By 9.20 am I was free to go see to Joey. He’d been very quiet so far which was strange. No admonishment for leaving him locked up in daylight. He was still subdued as I opened his door and as I sat in my chair talking to him, and before you say it,Yes, he could get a word in edgewise. All I could wonder is whether it was the sound of a drill from next door upsetting him, but it wasn’t loud. I put Frasier on the TV. At about 9.40 am Mike emerged from his pit and went straight to the kitchen to make a drink. Up at that time with no alarm, I wondered if it was the end times. You know, the Mayan calendar not having made an allowance for leap years all those centuries ago.

At 10.00 am HUtH came on but Joey still kept quiet. Mike didn’t though, he chose that time to go into a very detailed explanation of something and I almost missed a property in Tonypandy. Joey came out and sat on the mirror and did a headbanging spectacular with his oppo in the mirror. Ah, maybe it’s concussion keeping him quiet. After the programme I returned to work and Mike went to get dressed and go off to Manchester and his father. Margaret who I’d talked with yesterday called round with details of one of the computer repair shops in he area. I’d meantime found another one much closer but my emails were being bounced back. Maybe I’ll have to deal with the one in town. I worked until 11.50 am then went to start seeing to lunch. I actually remembered to take my tablets 15 minutes before I’d eat today. I ate very quickly so none of you would see what I was eating (again) then sat watching Bargain Hunt. Joey never made a peep. I fell asleep in my chair ( the next one who says ‘How unusual’ in a voice dripping with sarcasm is in trouble) until 2.03 pm when yet again I returned to work.

Messages consumed me until 4.30 pm when I knocked off till late evening. A few minutes of Flog it before my Cold Case came on. Mike sent a text about 7.00 pm to say he was on his way.I saw my Without a Trace peacefully and also Star Gate. I was watching the semi final of Mastermind when he arrived.  He sat and watched with me as he likes quizzes as much as I do. At 8.30 pm I went to get a shower. Instead of having a coffee Mike was there to wash my hair to try and prevent more angina attacks this week. After that, I watched half an hour of football with him then disappeared to work. The mail was clear before 10.30 pm and I was able to start the blog. Woo Hoo, it’s an early night for me.

Erm’ has someone forgotten my seat belt?

Mummy said I could slip into something comfortable. I did, their bed!

Saturday 12th March.

Bed at 11.45 pm, read till 12.50 am light off. Sleep. Wake at 2.12 am. I decided just to class this as a trial run for the real thing so after a visit to the loo and a ciggie I got back into bed. I next woke at 4.41 am and this was the real thing. Bright eyes and bushy tailed are just two of the things that didn’t apply to me this morning. I got stuck into the mail until 5.30 am when I went and had some toast and my meds. I took a coffee back with me to carry on knocking the post out of the court but I knew I’d be defeated soon. At 6.10 am the mailbox was filling up nicely and at 6.15 am Mike’s alarm went off. I went to do his coffee and take it through to him. The usual grunt in reply and after 5 alarms he got up at 6.50 am. I’d done a bit more mail by then.

While he was perched in his chair with matchsticks holding his eyes pen I did the bins, household and food and took them outside. Once that was done I just had to wait for Mike. He came to move me along at 7.00 am. On our way out I met my other next door neighbour Dorothy who complained that despite living next door she never saw me. Mike suggested she count herself lucky. Dorothy could chat for Britain and rarely pauses for breath but he’s a delight and I didn’t want to be rude. Bert came along and gave me the excuse I needed. Mike complained that despite being dressed and ready early, we were actually still only getting out at our usual time.                                                    At the supermarket not long after I got the cash while he got the trolley then we went to select Ju’s flowers. We ended up with two nice though small bunches. Further into the store Mike went to find some deodorant to take to Canada ( don’t they sell it there?) While I went to  find some dressings and some micropore tape. Next is round the corner and a few degrees due West to the kiddies clothes. Amelie was lucky today. We edged towards the gents clothing as Mike still needs some things to take away.

Once Mike is sorted we move towards the object of this exercise-Food. But first we pass the toys and I find something fun for Reuben that makes up for not getting any clothes. I know which he’d prefer anyway. As we pass more shelves with food, the trolley starts getting less and less room. In goes the bread, the cakes, the sweets, the pop, the coffee pods, the milk, micromeals, roast beef slices, sausages and we mustn’t forget biscuits and yoghurts. I paid up and we went for coffee.                                                            When we’d finished we headed for Flint and undertook a minor detour to ALDI so I could look at Easter eggs. I decided they were unusual enough that I got four from there and Mike added a bunch of daffodils to my basket for Ju’s vase to add a little colour at the front. We headed off again and parked up by Temptations. Making sure I had a bag in my pocket we walked over to Homies enjoying a cigarette. There I got the last of the Easter eggs I needed. They made me pay for them before I could leave the shop though. I must get bigger pockets.

We walked over for our coffee and Mike’s breakfast. Ceri was on with a young lad we hadn’t seen before. It turned out he’s Sian’s son. We were gobsmacked to say the least as Sian never seems to be over about 25 and this lad was not in nappies.( at least as far as we could tell). We said hello to quite a few of the regulars and enjoyed some banter with Ceri that can’t be repeated but which was funny. When we left we had a look in a large catalogue returns shop at computers and TV’s for no real reason then got in the car and had the usual ‘where to now’ conversation we have every week. We settled on going to Holywell where I think Mike hoped to persuade me to visit one of the computer service shops but which I was in no mood to do. He took the opportunity to visit his building society and then we walked down the street. There in the window of a charity shop was the perfect console table and instead of it’s usual £100+ price, it was £25. The only problem was it wouldn’t fit into Mike’s car unless it could be disassembled. He went in to ask about it. A few minutes later he was out again. He’d paid, and they’d agreed to take it apart while we had lunch. We ate in the top Bells.

Coming out Mike walked up to where we’d left the car and drove round to the other end of town so he could access the main street which is one way when it isn’t fully pedestrianised. He parked in front of the shop. There was a youngster of about ten helping , ready to open the door for me. First Mike and I took all the shopping out of the boot and put it on the pavement then he set the roof to lower into the boot space. The youngster was fascinated. I told him Mike was preparing for space mode. We brought the table out and packed it behind the front seats. It was a tight fit. Then out came the roof again and back into the boot went the shopping. I gave the youngster £1 for his help. I know he’d have done it for nothing if he could have retracted that roof just once. We came home and emptied the boot.

I put the shopping away and made my excuses to come away and start work. I made Mike a coffee while he tried to move the table to the boot though I warned him it wouldn’t go, he swore it would. I was disappointed that my card reader still hasn’t arrived though it was due Thursday. Anyway, I started work. There were over 100 messages and they kept me pinned to my chair from 1.45 pm to 5.55 pm when I needed a break.Mike had been in a couple of times to see if I was awake and whether I was coming through. I stayed watching the box with him until 9.00 pm and then had to come and start again. I won’t have this problem for the next month. I’m trying to keep pace with the mail as I do the blog tonight so there’s nothing there when I’m ready to turn in.

Wishing you all a Great New Week and the opportunity to spread a few more hugs around.

What shall we talk about next?

Share my food. What choo talkin’ ’bout?

A bonus track by the same beautiful lady, taken from us far too soon.

 

 

 

Getting Plastered & American Mancunian, Australian?

Sunday 21st Feb.

The oddest thing. I read until about 1.00 am then settled to sleep but it was a while in coming because I couldn’t get comfortable. I heard Mike get up and come towards my room where he asked if  I’d heard an alarm go off. When I answered no he returned to his room muttering. Then he came back again, not thirty seconds had passed and asked if I was awake??? He thought maybe he hadn’t locked his son’s car because his own locks itself when he walks away from it.  He trotted off out in his dressing gown. True enough he hadn’t locked it but at least we found out it wasn’t his car alarm that had gone off.                                                                                                                                                          I fell asleep. Then I woke again to go to the loo about 2.15 am despite having been before I went to bed. I climbed back into bed and just dropped off again and didn’t wake up until 7.11 am. That’s a remarkable sleep and over 5 hours. It really has been a long time since I achieved that.

So, at 7.11 am I got up, went to the loo (again) and then carried on to the kitchen where I took my meds and made myself a coffee. Having logged in next I attacked the mail. 97 it read at that time. 99 it read half an hour later.Then slowly but surely the levels came down. I was determined to carry on working until Mike got up but I did go through to let Joey out at about 8.30 am. Just after 9.30 am I heard Mike wake up coughing, but I thought he settled down again so I carried on. At 10.00 am I heard Mike go to the loo so I went through to make him a coffee. In the lounge I saw he must already have been up because his cup wad there almost fully drunk. I waited.                            When he came back I asked why he hadn’t come through to say he was up  and he said he thought I was asleep because he couldn’t hear me tap-tapping. ( Put your hearing aids in Michael and then turn them on). He’d got up when the coughing had started and crept through in case I was asleep. No way would he catch me asleep at that time.    I stayed in the lounge with him until 11.00 am and then went to get dressed as he’s said yesterday that he wanted to go looking for a safe this morning. By the time I’d got dressed he’s changed his mind and wasn’t feeling well. I don’t know if it was because he’d had to make his own coffee or at the thought of spending money(not even his ).

Mike suggested as we weren’t going out that maybe I’d like to work for another hour and he could do the flowers. Half an hour later he’s in the bedroom bending my ear about politics and he hasn’t even  started the flowers. After a quarter hour he left me to carry on. At 12.30 pm when my hour was up  I went through to see to lunch and he was in the kitchen doing the flowers. The savage made me stand there holding a bin bag open so he could add his flower waste to it. Then left me to carry the full bag to the bin with not a thought for my back.Savage. I made lunch, a beef and black bean concoction he’s chosen yesterday and for me a boeuf bourgingnon and mash. We both quite enjoyed them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Unfortunately I stayed in the lounge with him and after a while he looked sleepy. But, it was me who nodded off for an hour. Sometime during that hour he made his escape. I knew he was going back to Manchester to collect things from his dad’s flat before going back home to Rugby. I texted him there to say sorry I missed the big farewell scene. When I woke I came straight through to work. I stayed until 5.30 pm then went to get some tea so I could have my other diabetic meds. I found a film to watch until 7.00 pm.

I saw a film advertised for 9.00 pm with Simon Pegg which I thought I’d try so I devoted 7.00 – 9.00 pm to work so I could stay up. By 10.10 pm I’d given up as I’d not really been enjoying it. I know people swear, and I’m no prude but sometimes it’a overdone and I find it wearing. So, goodnight to Joey who’s been great today and I took my meds before coming through to work. As it happens for some reason the mail was mounting up again. Should still be n early night though about 11.30 ish.

Over the Garden Wall.

The knitted baby. Outfit by her Auntie Lynne.

Monday 22nd Feb.

When reading James Patterson, his chapters are so short you just fly through them. It’s so easy to get carried away and promise yourself ‘Just another two.’ I was in bed at 11.15 pm but read until 1.00 am because I couldn’t put the damned thing down. My right hand almost had to wrest it out of my left hand, put it down and turn the light out. I could not sleep on my back and had a bit of a time turning on to my side. Eventually I slept and as luck and maybe kindness would have it (thanks Somnos) I didn’t need a middle of the night loo trip. I woke and got up at 5.14 am. I made the morning pilgrimage and then came back to log on. 5.30 am came quickly so I nipped through to the kitchen to take my meds and make my one-a-day coffee. I was soon back in my seat attacking the mail.

There were about 20 pieces of mail left when I returned to my chair and by 6.10 am I as down to 11. Whenever I did one it seemed to be instantly replaced by a new one but instead of the new day’s mail coming in the usual rush, it took me up to 20 and then seemed to hover around that mark no matter how many I did. It always felt like less work. The highest it got was 31. At 7.45 am I put the washing machine on to complete while I worked.  I was finished and clear by 8.52 am and rapidly got dressed ready to go to the Post Office with a letter detailing my recent changes of income to the Housing Benefits Dept of the Council. I did that and then called at the sandwich shop for a sausage bap having decided that I wanted breakfast after all. I came home and took my pre-foodies then sorted Joey out with a new seed bell and had a shave. I ate the bap while working on mail that had come in while I was out, then took my post-foodies. It doesn’t matter now if I have my lunch a little late which is always likely anyway since Bev seems to be calling later this last few weeks.

After I was up to  date again I saw it was almost time for Homes Under the Hammer so I went through to join Joey. He became animated when the music came on and with me talking to him, but not for long. He soon adopted his crosspatch squawk that says he’s peeved at someone. I started falling asleep but he wasn’t having that and squawked louder still. There’s no ignoring him as he sounds like a torture victim from outside. I had to stand by the cage talking t him so he’s shut up. At 11.00 am I came back to the bedroom to work but I was trying to listen out for the drier finishing. I didn’t hear it so I went to check it at 11.30 am and folded all the bedding on to the airer. There was a programme on TV about people who put in false claims to insurance companies which was quite good. Surprising was the man who put some cars down as his on a multiple insurance for a garage business. He then created documents and sold policies to unsuspecting drivers for their cars who 18 months down the line tried to claim after accidents only to find they weren’t insured at all. It’s evil. I watched Bargain Hunt while waiting for Bev to come but no sign so at 1.00 pm when I went to work again I sent her a text to see if she was off. She texted back that she’d called on me about 10.30 am and used the bell. That was while I was watching HUtH so I was in. Perhaps I was in the kitchen and heard nothing because of the washing machine or maybe the bell didn’t work, though it did when I tested it later. At 1.45 pm I went for my lunch.

At 2.55 pm I finished my lunch. OK, I confess, I finished the kip after my lunch. Instead of returning to work I just watched Escape to The Country. When that was over at 3.45 pm I found more work than I’d expected in the mailbox. Since those fools in the BBC didn’t consult me first they’ve taken off my Road Trip so there was no need to return to  the TV until 6.00 pm when Missing-Without a Trace came on. I waited until the first adverts came on and made myself some tea. A packet of Cheddars, a chunk of Cadbury’s chocolate cake and just to show how health conscious I am, a rhubarb yoghurt. The second of my two shows has been removed by another channel, again without prior consultation with me, and replaced by something I don’t watch so I came back through here at 7.00 pm for a change. Poor Joey must think he’s in trouble. It gave me chance to finish the earlier work I hadn’t completed and also the new stuff you sadists had sent when my back was turned. I do need a life you know.                               I did find a couple of very interesting blogs. That of Opinionated Man  https://aopinionatedman.com/who had a fascinating childhood as an American child who didn’t like baseball! But whose wife is an accomplished artist with a very striking piece for sale. Also the wonderful Donna Parker http://yadadarcyyada.com/ who paid me the highest compliment possible in the comment section of her hilarious blog today. Donna and others are living proof that friendships as strong as those in everyday life are quite possible built on the net. I am possibly the luckiest man on the planet. Now if only I can find a blind lady with a dog that doesn’t bite, how nice that would be.

Early bed tonight and I hope the latest blustery rain had beaten itself out and we have a start like we had today. Sunny and bright but with a wonderful fresh nip in the air.

Monday Sunshine start.Fair of face and fffreezing.

A born salesman or Knowing How to Regain First Place.

Tuesday 23rd Feb

I got my early night and was in bed for 11.15 pm . I read till 12.30 am and didn’t want to stop but I’m on my last few chapters with no books in reserve. Out went the lights and I settled down. I don’t think sleep was long in coming. This morning I woke at 3.47 am and though I knew I’d be getting up I didn’t want to move from the warmth and just lay there plucking up courage to move until 4.13 am. When I did move I donned my dressing gown and paid a visit to the loo. From there I went to the kitchen and had my foodie tabs so that I could eat breakfast, Shreddies today, and then I took my morning meds and made a coffee to take back to my desk.

I logged on and started work on the mail. Things were going pretty well but my attention must have wandered because without me noticing it had suddenly reached 6.20 am. With shock and horror I noticed the dozen or so I had left was now 84. I had to break away for a quick weep while I got dressed. As I came back the number was now 92. I did 2 and that left a balance of 92 ……again? By the time 7.20 am came and I had to get my coat on to head for the bus stop I was leaving just 80. It wasn’t light enough for Joey to be out yet but I did open his cage ready before I walked up the road.                                                                                                                                                                                             I got my favourite seat on the bus. Stuck my shopping bag of gifts between my legs, put my chin on the armhole of my crutches and nodded off. Not heavily enough that I could sleep through my stop but enough to discourage conversation. The journey wasn’t bad and we arrived on time. Since Yvonne wasn’t at the bus stop I started walking in the direction they’d appear from. When I saw them Yvonne spotted me and was telling Reuben Pops was coming. It was an age before he saw me but what a roar he let out. I hope she never takes the chains off…….. When we were closer he was able to run up and grab my legs. It was a rugby tackle I think. I got up off the floor to hug Yvonne and to look in the pram at Amelie as we decided where we were going.

We settled on our usual shop first Primark, which meant we could go for a coffee and toast (insisted upon even though I’d had breakfast) and a sit down while Amelie was fed. I knew Yvonne needed some more bodysuits for Amelie. Once we’d had coffee and Amelie was getting her milk straight from the source, I told Yvonne I was going to have a wander down and see if they were doing any summer colours in the men’s jeans ( as if) which meant I could get the bodysuits, some shoes and a little dress for Amelie as well as a gilet, teeshirt and some jeans for Roobs. Fait accomplis means no arguments. Mind you, she did finish feeding baby and try to have a race to the till to stop me. Downstairs I was able to get a nightie and a top for her while her eyes were otherwise occupied. She was a very close second at the till though so I know the back is slowing me up.

Yvonne needed a visit to NEXT next (echo) at which point the pram in my hands exploded in a earful rebuke that a. I wasn’t feeding her and b. I wasn’t rocking the pram hard enough. We weren’t too far from a little Methodist church that has a playroom and a small cafe. Roobs would be fine playing with the toys there, Yvonne and I could have a drink and she could also feed Amelie again, after which I would get to hold her again. It all depended on me being able to get into church without being struck by lightning or scarred by holy water though at the price of water these days I reckon the one who bought it was more likely to be scarred. It was after the drinks that I saw I needed to depart so I said good bye and galloped off as best I could. They were about 10 seconds behind me at the bus stop, just as my bus arrived so I got another goodbye.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             By this point you’ll realise I’ve had two drinks and am about to spend an hour or so on the bus. For most of the journey it was a repeat of the inward one, eyes closed, gently nodding. quietly seething that someone else nicked my seat……. but somewhere it started to get a tad uncomfortable. When I got off the bus I blanched at the thought of how far it was to the house. I had to pass the shops and I had to ask myself if I was prepared to go home and come out again or would will power win out. Idiocy certainly did because I went into Pauline’s. She was in chat mode…aaarrrrggh….and I was so glad when another customer reached the counter. I got home as fast as I could. Transferring my shopping bag from right to left hand while in motion so my right hand was free to dip for the keys was an accident waiting to happen. I reached the front door. By now I was hopping up and down on alternate legs and my body was writhing but I managed to open the door. I didn’t have time to remove the crutches and the shopping bag was thrown anywhere as I darted for the loo. I was a fraction of a second away from not needing too dart there, but to dart for the mop and bucket instead. I wee’d for about an hour. Joey had heard me and was tweeting like billyo to remind me he was there. ‘Drained’ in more ways than one I went through to the lounge,collecting the abandoned shopping on the way. I talked to Joey for a minute and then apologised and said I’d be with him asap.                                                                                                                  I went to remove my crutches, my gloves, coat and shoes then checked the new level of post. 84 ,where I’d started the morning.

It was 1.05 pm so I just sat and worked. By 4.30 pm I was getting there and by 4.55 pm I’d only 20 left. I went through to the lounge and put the TV on to a programme I haven’t seen in a long time, Cold Case. While I was watching it I’d put a chips and curry sauce in the micro for tea and taken my tablets. I enjoyed it. I watched Missing, Without a Trace then Murder She Wrote before coming back through at 8.00pm. I’ve spent till 10.30 pm emptying my mail box and now started on the blog. Fingers crossed for 11.30 pm bed.

The Understanding

Contentment with a mouthful of bib.

And this is for the Beautiful Donna, my friend.

Wednesday 24th Feb.

Bed at 11.40 pm after plastering my feet in gunk and applying a Chinese herbal plaster to my back….or rather to my pyjama trousers and my teeshirt . I finished my book and made a start on a new one and read until 12.30 am. Then it was lights out and settle down. I found it easier to sleep on my side because I kept sticking to the bottom sheet with the plaster which seems to have got as wrinkled as heck in the process of settling.  It seems to be one of the most awkward things in the word, trying to slap a large plaster on your own back straight. I’m sure there’s a knack but I don’t have it. I slept until 4.48 am with no interruptions which is around the four hour mark and not too bad.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                I paid a visit a visit to the loo and then carried straight on to the kitchen where I had a toasted bap for breakfast. I found this morning how true it is tht men are not capable of performing two tasks at once. I put a tablet in my mouth and a sip of milk then started to shake two little sachets of my sugar substitute to get it to the bottom while I tore the top off. So intent was I in performing that simple task that I quite forgot to swallow the tablet and the damn thing dissolved in my mouth.                                           When I returned with my morning coffee I logged on to the computer and my gmails. It was not too bad and just took me nicely to 6.08 am allowing me a slight breather before the deluge.

After the new mail came the only break I got was at 8.30 am to let Joey out of his cage. I was kept hard at it otherwise until 10.10 am so I missed the start of Homes Under the Hammer. Joey didn’t seem to mind. What we did wonder though was where the heck the new cleaner is. I wondered the same thing at 11.00 am as I returned to my room. I sent a text to make sure I had the day right and she responded she was in a meeting but would be here. At 12.30[pm I was in a panic as I wanted to go to the chippy for some lunch but a new text arrived to say she’d be here at 1.00 pm. I went to get my lunch, came back and ate it. She arrived about 1.15 pm and went to work on the bathroom almost straight away. Down came the curtains which were give to me to put in the wash, which I did. She did a very thorough job in there and I’m afraid to go in now in case I  dirty it again. I’m not sure how long I can keep these legs crossed though. I wonder if Bert next door will let me use his. Joey was in his cage so I cleaned off the mirror above which sent him flying out of the cage and in circles above my head gasping for breath. The loon didn’t even have the sense to find a different perch. The minute I stopped cleaning, even though I was there next to the cage, he landed on the mirror near me. Panic for nothing.

Jade left at 3.00 pm and after I’d paid her I settled down with Joey. I watched A House in the Country where a mother and son viewed properties which were to include his wife and his mother in law. They had a budget of £1.2m and saw some fantastic places. At 3.45 pm though I went back to catch up on any outstanding mail before my brother arrived. At 4..30 pm I went to watch Flog It.

As I reached the lounge Dil arrived. I made him a cup of tea and we watched Flog It together then Pointless. As soon as that was over the grudge matches started. Out came the Yahtzee and of the first six games I deservedly won 4-2. In the second six games something went awry and Dil undeservedly won 5-1. It was a fix and I’m sure he used weighted dice on his turn. When we eventually finished that and I’d stopped communicating with him in sign language, using only one finger mainly, out came the Trivial Pursuits. I gained my first four slices of pie before he’d got his first but then things turned a bit and he pulled three back. I went to five, he went to four. I got my last piece and started heading for the middle. It was outrageous, I couldn’t land in the middle to save my life and Dil managed to get his last two pieces of pie. It was a desperate battle ensued then as we both struggled for the centre. We both made it and asked each other questions we didn’t think the other could answer. But with a bit of judicious reading upside down I was OK in the end. I WON!!!!! Unfortunately someone had taken so long playing that we didn’t have time for any cards and Dil had to return home where it was snowing and his wife phoned to let him know. Here it was just bucketing down with rain as usual. Dil left and I tidied up and washed the pots , took my meds and came through.

There was plenty of post to do But hey, I have the time don’t I. Who needs sleep anyway. I started the blog at 11.12 pm so I should be in bed around midnight.

Before climbing into bed I removed the plaster which had been on he prescribed 24 hours. It came complete with hairs and I bit my tongue rather than scream.

Confirmation of the haircut and shave, Spring is due.

Family Group. Me and my Fan Club.

Thursday 25th Feb

I could only read until 12.35 am last night as the yawns were threatening to unhinge my jaw. I hadn’t got to bed until 12.08 am so it wasn’t much of a read, and it was mid chapter, but it promised to be a good sleep. I snuggled down and slept. It was 3.53 am when I woke and a couple of minutes was enough to convince me I wasn’t going to nod off again. I trotted off to the loo to widdle for Britain before carrying on to the kitchen to make breakfast and have my meds. As yesterday I had a toasted bap to use the last one in the packet and also to preserve the milk for when Mike arrives. I returned with a coffee to log onto the computer and attack my mail. I was about 3 in when the system shut down without warning compliments of Microsoft. There was  a little blue tinge to the air above my head as I logged on again.                                                                I worked and worked. At 7.30 am I must have glanced at the clock then whoomf I was gone and didn’t wake until 9.05 am. I was horrified, all that time wasted and a mail count now of 81. Joey wasn’t happy with me either as I ran to open his cage door. I didn’t know budgies could scowl. I came back and got dressed then went to Pauline’s for my lottery , some ciggies and a BFG that accidentally fell out of the freezer into my basket. I was charged for it at the till before I knew it was there. It would have been inconsiderate to ask Pauline to knock it off my bill so I just handed her the money. I was doing a good turn anyway since I am a founder member of SOG and I’m a proud Soggie. (Save our gateaux).

I returned to work, even giving up my HUtH . Until I was clear at 11.20 am. Time to see to Joey’s water and seed before starting to peel my sweet potatoes.                                 I made my usual Thursday lunch bangers and mash (sweet potato) with mixes veg and onion gravy, I used a whole onion for that. I’d finished making it in time to sit and enjoy Bargain Hunt though I got up and washed the pots before the auction. I didn’t even sleep through it. At 1.00 pm I returned to my room knowing some post would have accumulated since I’d left.It had. Doing it presented no problem though, I was in no rush. At 3.00 pm I went to watch Escape to the Country. The mystery House was an oast house conversion and it was beautiful.The couple searching for a house understandably fell in love with it . At the end of the programme it said they had put in an offer and had it accepted. 13 weeks after moving in there was a devastating fire. That leads me to presume they don’t live there now but the programme did say we’d be catching up with them in a couple of months. I hope to see that and hope neither was hurt. At 3.45 pm as I was just about to leave the room, Mike sent his usual ‘On my way bro’ text so I’ll expect him around 6.00 pm with luck. In the meantime I worked until 4.30 pm and then went to see Flog It.

After Flog It was part way over I turned to Cold Case and then Without a Trace. Mike arrived a few minutes into Cold Case and I had to explain it. In Without a Trace I had to point out Anthony la Plagia out to him a we’d had a conversation a few weeks ago about Frasier. In Frasier the character Daphne Moon was preparing to get married and her loutish brother from Manchester comes to stay, played by Anthony la Plagia. I’d said the accent was atrocious and instead of an American, surely they must be able to find a Mancunian actor over there. Mike looked him up and it seems he’s not an American either but an Australian.                                                                                                         While Mike watched Manchester United win on his ipad I watched MASH until it was time for Death in Paradise. I’m so envious of the actors who get to stroll around in the sunshine and the beauty of wherever it’s filmed  that I’m half tempted to go and bump them off and just let the director know I’m available for a small fee.

At 10.00 pm I came through to deal with the post and the blog. I was doing OK until Mike came through to ask how my hands are shaking at the moment. He wants me to trim his beard. I’ll do it gladly, but not until I’ve been to the chemist tomorrow to stock up on a styptic pencil and a lot of plasters (band aids). I was finished with the mail at 11.04 pm and ready to start the blog straight away. Midnight is my target.

Just in case you forget

King of the Castle

Friday 26th Feb.

12.02 am to bed, 12.47 lights out, and because I was tired, 12.48 sleep. I was up at 4.03 am again and went straight to my mail box. I kept going until 5.10 am then nipped to the loo and then to the kitchen to take my meds and start the Friday routine. That meant refilling my meds tray for the next week so I got my medicine drawer from the lounge and started the process, filling the drawer from my latest batch of drugs as needed. Then I suddenly decided to have breakfast and thought while I waited for the pre-food tabs to do their job, I’d spend the 15-20 mins rehanging my bathroom curtains I’d washed on Wednesday. That was knocked on the head when I realised I’d need the ladders and I didn’t want to get those out and risk disturbing Mike (by screaming as I fell off). That job could wait. So, I had a cigarette for timing and then ate a bowl of cornflakes (but not the bowl as well). Coming back with my coffee I found it was 6.01 am and I just had the chance to finish the last of last night’s mail before the new batch arrived.

There was a lot of mail this morning but at some point after 8.30 am I packed in halfway through one and lay on the bed before I fell out of my chair. Tiredness just hit me like a sledgehammer. I slept till 9.15 am then got up and finished the message I was working on. I only managed to do one more before at 9.35 am Mike got up. A big surprise. I went and made his coffee. As he sat down with it, I went and got the ladders out and set them up in the bathroom. I’d just started to put the first curtain back up when Mike appeared needing the bathroom and I had to depart. Getting down the ladders in one piece was a miracle. I went to talk to Joey for a few minutes. When I heard the bathroom door open I went back just as Mike was climbing the ladders to finish the curtain I’d started. He asked me to pass the second one which I did and up that went too. I thanked him and put the ladders back……. I wish I’d let him get off first, they were really heavy. We went to watch HUtH before he finally went to get dressed to go out and he suggested I get dressed too. Good idea really as the postman came minutes later, and me opening the door in my dressing gown might have been a shock. After all, not many dressing gowns have a door do they.

I returned to work and Mike left to travel to Manchester. I was determined to make up for the skiving this morning and worked until 12.10 pm before going through to get lunch and watch Bargain Hunt. I’d made a good hole in the numbers by then. When I went back at 1.00 pm the numbers had gone up a bit but were still manageable. I was done by 2.30 pm. I did Joey’s seed and water so he thought all his birthday’s had come at once, Who’s a cheeky boy then. I caught the latter half of a programme called Moving On which was excellent and then sat through Escape to The Country.                                                                                                                                                                                                 Knowing I wanted to be back in there for 4.30 pm and Flog It I spent up until that time catching up on mail, doing some Facebook messages (I don’t go to Facebook unless forced) and leaving feedback on ebay.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Part way through Flog It I received a text to let me know Mike was on his way. I was surprised as he’s not usually this early. At 5.00 pm I watched Cold Case then just as it finished and Without a Trace came on Mike arrived do I made him a coffee and he told me about his day. We were expecting a Road Trip at 7.00 pm but it had been replaced with the biography of an amazing man who Mike tells me died last week. A man who was in Berlin at the 1936 Olympics and saw Jesse Owens, who flew with the second highest air -ace from the Luftwaffe WW1 and then returned home to fight in the Navy as a pilot for WW2. He landed planes on aircraft carriers. After the war he was the first person to land a jet on a ship. We watched Mastermind still a bit open mouthed.

At 8.30 am I went for my shower. After it was over Mike kindly applied a new plaster to my back without attaching it to a single item of clothing. He made me promise it would hurt to take off and he wants to be within earshot when it does. I don’t see why, the hairs have already gone.                                                                                                                   The film Philomena came on at 9.00 pm and I watched with him until 9.45 pm then made him a drink before disappearing to my room. Lots of mail again and very strangely more new followers. They seem to be getting younger and I don’t understand the appeal. It was almost 11.00 pm before I finished though and had to go straight to the blog. I’m setting a midnight limit as it’s shopping day tomorrow.

Down by the River Dee

Welcome, do sit down.

Saturday 227th Feb.

Midnight bed, well a couple of minutes later maybe after getting the gunk on my legs. I slid between the sheets, I read until 1.05 to finish a chapter. It took ages to settle again, perhaps because I kept sliding down the bed. memo to self, use less gunk on legs. 2.24 am I awoke but after a trip to the loo I knew I wasn’t staying up. I couldn’t get to sleep though so moved my ‘booty’ to my chair in the lounge. I soon managed to nod off there. It was  4.29 am when I woke there knowing my night was over. Not a problem though as I could probably clear the outstanding mail before the new batch (no, not the Gremlins). I did manage to clear it, but what a close call it was.

Mike’s first alarm went off at 6.15 am. Knowing they could fly to the moon and open an Edam Cheese Mine before he’ll move I strolled to the kitchen to put the kettle on. Let’s skip to the chase eh, it was 6.50 am before he got his a*** into gear and brought his rapidly cooling coffee to the lounge so he could promptly fall asleep hunched over in his chair. I turned the searchlight on to hit him full in the face and reminded him not to forget his coffee as I took the food waste out of the kitchen to the bin. When I returned things had changed. He was asleep hunched over in his chair but now he was holding his mug in both hands. I daren’t speak for fear of startling him and of course it would be my fault there was a broken mug and a brown puddle on the floor to go with the spilled coffee. I tried to lift the mug from his hands first and his eyes flew open straight away. He lifted the mug to his mouth saying “I haven’t finished it yet.”                                                                                                                                                                                                I took the rubbish out next and when I got back he was having a huge coughing fit ( drink it Michael, you can’t breathe it). He went off to get dressed.

We left the house at 7.30 am today and it was almost 7.50 am when we reached the Supermarket. Mike got the trolley, I got the cash. Time for a change of role I’m thinking. We started with flowers for Ju and chose what I think looked a nice bunch. Then it was the normal clockwise tour picking items I needed as we went. I won’t bore you (this time) with what I bought but we were soon at the checkout where I’m afraid he was disappointed again at how little I had spent. Then coffee time. While Mike ordered,I got my cigarettes. When we’d done, Mike picked up something from the ciggie counter while I had a look at the photography section to see if there were any nice frames on a special. They are good to have in for gifts or if I need them on the wall of shame.                                                                                                                                                                   After packing the car we called in at Pets at Home where I got Joey some seed but Mike didn’t get what he wanted. I suggested the internet. Then it was on to Flint and a coffee at Temptations, he had his usual. We found out a member of staff is single and he registered an interest with the others to put in a good word for him.I didn’t know it wasn’t just sailors could have a girl in every port, or in his case a port in every girl to ease the mood. We avoided being thrown out.

From there we looked at a few shops while a decision was made about where we’d eat today. As we left Flint it seemed the car had it’s own ideas and pointed in the direction of Prestatyn. But, when we got there, Mike didn’t park in the usual place but did the guided tour version until he found a pay and display car park we’d already passed once. We visited a little cafe we’d been to a few weeks ago. Both of us ended up with braised steak, I had chips and peas with mine, he had boiled pots and peas with his. It was very nice and it meant I’m in with a good chance of a Sunday roast dinner tomorrow now. We had a very quick look round one shop after leaving the cafe then headed for home. We struggled in with the bags at the other end and I almost tripped over a copy of The Watchtower on the mat. Religion had been out to get me for years. I didn’t venture further into the house until Mike was in and I could close the door. He went through to the kitchen , passing through the lounge first. I winced as the expected happened. Squawks and screeches galore, Joey really let rip at him. I came in a little more slowly, dumped the bags in the kitchen and came back talking in my most soothing voice about how he was my best boy Joey, Joey, Joey. He wasn’t hoodwinked for a minute and upped the tirade a notch or three. I backed gently away and started unpacking shopping and putting it away. I had the upper hand. Mike moved the car as the bin men were coming. I put the last of the shopping away and as Mike returned I said I was going to start work and not to forget to look at ebay for his fish food. That left him with Joey and me in complete peace. He does not like being left on his own for long which is strange as he never comes to either of us.

I worked from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm without a break and just left a few undone. When I went through, Mike had found what he wanted, managed a kip though he wouldn’t admit it and then sat playing computer games. We turned TV on and found an easy programme to watch which also gave me chance to make some tea. Then we watched the last episode of Beowulf that Mike had missed. Then, a huge mistake, I turned onto Inspector Alleyn which was from the ark and badly overacted. I went to sleep in desperation. Unfortunately it was still on when I woke half an hour later. At 9.00 pm Mike wanted to watch an episode of something called The 100 so I was given the chance to leave and come back to work. By 10.40 pm I was up to date finally and able to look at the blog.

The new jumper

First library card

 

The Day of The Cleaner & The Bad Back

Sunday 14th Feb. Valentines Day.

My love gave me a red red rose. Actually she didn’t, but what she did give me was better- a lie in. I was still awake at 2.00 pm and made a mid-kip visit for a wee, but I didn’t get up until 6.38 am. A truly wonderful 4 hours+. I knew the post would be in so rather than face that first I went to take my meds and bring a coffee back. I needed it when I found 124 pieces of post and no matter how hard I tried I struggled to stay below 100. Every time I hit somewhere in the 90’s up it would jump again. I didn’t realise most of the World wanted to write to me.

I kept going and going and was even glad when I heard Mike get up as it meant I could do a coffee for him. That was about 10.30 am and any progress came to a halt.             We sat together in the lounge and once he was compost mental we talked about what to do today. I reminded him we had semi made plans but he could choose whether we still did them and if so, which way we would. So, it was either to be shop, eat and hair or eat, shop and hair. We left the house about 11.30 am and he decided we’d shop first.  All I wanted was a special offer from LIDL of a microwave boeuf bourgignon which we searched for only to be told it had been withdrawn and shipped back because of a problem with the manufacturing process. And, in another shop some individual mini cereals. It’s not worth me buying the Kellog’s varieties as I only eat 2 of the 8 in there. So, I buy some Cornflakes some Rice Krispies and a couple of Shreddies.                                                                                                                                                                                                          Then we went for lunch and decided on The Bells of St Mary’s expecting everywhere else to be crowded for St. Valentine’s Day. The Bells is big enough to accommodate a lot of people. It was surprisingly empty. Mike was very disappointed with his meat again and said we’ve been spoiled by The CookHouse. He’s probably right.

Then we came home, and once I’d made him a coffee he planted a chair in the middle of the kitchen floor and made me sit. While he was doing my hair I kept trying to nod off. I’d jerk awake and he’s think he’d caught me with the clippers. Eventually I was done and went outside to shake the cape in case the birds wanted a years worth of nest material. Joey probably won’t recognise me and I’m sure Amelie won’t. I fell asleep in my chair and when I woke Mike had fallen asleep in his.                                                            When he awoke it was getting on for 5.45 pm and it was time he left. He set off back to Manchester where he’s staying this week. I came back inside and threw myself into the work I hadn’t touched since 10.30 am  No prizes for guessing there was lots of it. I was determined only to work until 7.00 pm so I could see Beowulf this week but I’d come back in after that. What a liar, I watched Beowulf then turned over for a programme about Midwives in the 50’s ( no I’m not pregnant) that Mike recommended. I promise though I did come back through at 9.00 pm after I’d said goodnight to Joey and taken my meds.                                                                                                                                         Catching up has been fun but I made it and I should even be in bed by 11.30 pm with luck.

Obligations over, it’s MY time.

Pass it here and I’ll take one…..

Monday 15th Feb.

I managed the 11.30 pm bed and managed an hour of reading.I don’t even recall a major problem getting to sleep or any middle of the night trips to the loo. What I do remember is waking up this morning and feeling rested again. It was 5.08 am. That’s two nights now and I wonder if I’m on a run of extended sleeps or if Somnos and his ilk are just leading up to something again. I made my loo visit and came back to log on the computer. I worked for an hour then decided to go for my meds and a coffee. Stupid timing really as the new batch of messages arrived while I was away. I returned to a full sack from the virtual Post Office.                                                                                                        I had to work until 8.45 am then get dressed, put my shoes on and walk up to the chemist’s with a new prescription request and to buy both melanin dressings and some micropore tape neither of which they had in the right sizes. They’ll have them in for next time I need them though so for now I took different sizes in both.                                   On my way home I called into Pauline’s where a suicidal chips in curry sauce jumped into my bag. No one has so far commented on the great hair attack and shave.

Back home again I hoovered the lounge and changed Joey’s water, seed and millet. I think I should have done those in a different order. Duh! Back to work until 10.00 am when Homes Under the Hammer was on. Well, you have to keep promises made to a budgie don’t you. After an hour it was straight back to work. I was just clearing the last about 12.05 pm when Bev came. We went through to the lounge where she said hello to Joey who kept schtum. She doesn’t believe he can talk I’m sure. Bev on the other hand can so we chatted about this and that ( but never the other) until she had to go at 12.30 pm. As soon as the door was closed I took my pre-foodies, did some b & b and put my chips with curry sauce in the micro. Enjoyed every mouthful. I had the last quarter hour of Bargain Hunt then returned to the salt mines instead of having a kip.

By 2.00 pm I needed to shut my eyes. Rather than tattoo my forehead with the reverse keyboard I chose to go to my chair in the lounge. I zonked ! What’s more I stayed zonked until 4.15 pm. I’m never usually asleep that long on just a power nap. I was confused about the time (and didn’t have the sense to look at my wrist) because I turned the TV on and was confronted with a programme that’s usually on another channel over an hour and a half later.Eventually I came round and found it was earlier than I thought and I hadn’t missed my Road Trip which had changed channels with the one I could see. There was no point in going back to work so I worked my way through my usual programmes until 8.00 pm when I turned off ( the TV) and came through.                                                                                                                                                                                            There were loads of messages including one that tells me one of my brothers in law is in hospital and not expected to survive. He’ll soon be with his parents and his sister, my wife, lucky man. I’m sorry for him but have had little to do with him as he was very insular and had been unwell a long time.                                                                                            I finished my last message at 10.20 pm ( though odd ones keep popping up) and started on the blog.

I’m just the singer in a rock n’roll band

 

Bright but freezing day expedition.

A treat for Shirley fans the world over……

Tuesday 16th Feb.

I was in bed by 11.45 pm  and read until almost 1.00 am. It did take a short while to get to sleep because my legs were hot and I had to find cool places for them outside the covers. I know I was dreaming before I got up. It felt like I was awake thinking about it more than dreaming but since it was more like an early Peter Sellers film with Wilfred Hyde White, I doubt it. But suddenly I was awake and not dreaming which was a shame really as the story wasn’t over. It proved to be 3.27 am. Sleep wasn’t about to come back so I got up and signed into the computer and checked my bank account. Yep, my Disability Living Allowance had gone in so I can see things are running smoothly again now.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Next was my gmail account, I might as well occupy my time properly. That took me to 5.20 am to clear which gave me time before breakfast to change Mike’s bed. By 5.40 am the bedding was in the washing machine and I’d taken my meds, made myself a coffee and returned to the bedroom Office. I hadn’t felt like breakfast but that was OK as I could have lunch and tea instead. If I behaved at lunchtime maybe I could have fruit at teatime?                                                                                                                                                        At 6.10 a I went to check the washing machine and it showed cycle finished. I turned it off and opened the door then started folding. I’d done the duvet cover and put it on the airer when the pillowcases came out and I realised they were still quite damp. I’d completely forgotten the drying cycle. Luckily the airing rack is right next to the radiator which was on. I just carried on and hoped they’d dry there instead of putting them  back in for 3 hours.

I returned to the mail and found I’d gone from 14 to 97. Get on with it David and stop skiving. I thought I might need a sleep but no helpful yawns gave me the excuse I needed. I carried on. I finished t 9.23 am and immediately got up in case I noticed any more come through. I went to open Joey’s cage in case he wanted freedom and decided to stay there with him. For anyone who’s wondering why I wasn’t in Chester today, Yvonne had the health visitor going so couldn’t come out to play. It would take me a while to walk to where she lives….and then back again. Instead I’ve been wearing a pair of shorts so my legs feel a bit cooler and my legs itch less.                                           When Homes Under the Hammer came on I was ready and waiting then missed 15 minutes when I nodded off. Joey woke me though. At 11.00 am I came back through to work and found lots more photographs from Davida Bailey aka my daughter. I saved them to sort through later. I dealt with the mail and at 11.40 am went to the kitchen to start taking my pre-foodie tablets. By midday I was sitting down with a beef stew and dumplings followed by a strawberry yoghurt. I also watched Bargain Hunt and stayed awake.

After the programme I washed my pots and returned to work. Not too many to do but they still took me until 2.05 pm.. Knowing Father Brown was on at 2.15 pm and that I wasn’t far off a power nap I went through to my chair. I didn’t manage to kip during Father Brown nor doze through Homes in the Country so work beckoned me again at 3.45 pm. The minute I sat at the desk I wanted to snore. I refused to give in and held off until 4.30 pm when I went for my evening’s viewing and my tea. I couldn’t believe it, I managed right through till 8.00 pm without a power nap. Maybe it’s a good sign for tonight. I shut Joey away and wished him goodnight then went for my last catch up session.The mail was out of the way before 10.00 pm and it looks like the blog will be done in time for me to have am 11.00 pm bed. I could be asleep for the witching hour.

The gruesome twosome carefully watching each other.

A tickle behind the ear from sister to brother.

Wednesday 17th Feb.

It was more like 11.15 pm and then I read until midnight and actually finished the book. It’s made me want to get the other 8 in the series now. It took a little time to settle but not too long so we can safely say I was asleep by 12.30 am . It’s pretty remarkable that my waking up time today was a very healthy 4.52 am. That’s 3 days on the trot now and I’m starting to get very suspicious. Either my body has undergone a change and I now need more sleep or someone is toying with me.                                                            The cycle of events was normal, the loo followed by the kitchen to take my meds and have some breakfast which today was a slice of toast. Then after making a coffee it was back to work. First check the Eurolottery numbers for last night. Right, it seems the round the world tip is still on  hold. Then the mail. Plenty left from last night’s skiving then the new lot piling on as we pass the 6.10 am mark.

I broke away from the mail at 8.45 am to get dressed and let Joey have his freedom. It’s such a dim and dismal day he didn’t move. I went to Pauline’s for some bread and the new TV mag and she passed me a mobile telephone number of someone wanting to start up in home care. Great. Back at home I sent a text and said,”Sorry, I’m not able to speak on the telephone.” Half an hour later the response…… four telephone calls, none of which got answered of course. Then a text message asking me to ring when free ??? I had to answer and reiterate my inability to give voice. OK, we got it! She said she’d be round about 10.30 am. That gave me chance to finish the mail and go sit with Joey for a while.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Unfortunately I left my phone on charge in the bedroom and there was a delay before her next message asking where I am. Fair enough, I didn’t realise she’s from Holywell, not Greenfield. I texted her the where and we got a new when which was 11.00 am. And there she was. Self described as Able to talk for Britain (not wrong there) and chock full of stories. Seems a pleasant enough young lady and quite efficient at getting vital info. She’s going to start tomorrow for two hours at £25 and we’ll see how we go from here.

By the time she left it was getting on towards lunchtime so I went to get a minced beef hotpot from the fridge. With a couple of baps and a yoghurt  (afterwards, not with it) it made a nice meal. After Bargain Hunt was over I returned to work and cleared it to zero again. That was at 2.15 pm so I watched Father Brown followed by a Homes in The Country which was fairly local to me for a change. Made me quite jealous. I came back here at 3.45 pm to make sure nothing was hanging about when Dil came.               It was 4.30 pm when he arrived but I’d seen him and was ready with a cuppa. I put the TV on and then remembered the BBC have messed me about. There’s a new series of Flog It on BBC1 which is antiques, but my our Road Trip has been moved to BBC2 at 5.15 pm which is the time we watch our quiz. Trust them to change the schedules around on me. So,we half watched Flog It as we chatted and then fully watched the quiz before turning TV off and getting down to bizniss.                                                                      Out came the Yahtzee and we both adopted and tested out our various moans and insults. Of the first sheet of 6 games I won the first 3 and Dil the second. Not too much to moan about you’d think but Dil had only 2 yahtzees to my 3 and that was reason enough. Of the second sheet I won the first, Dil won 3, I won one and needed the last but lost it. ( Those miserable dice would be on the fire now if I had one). So Dil won 7-5 overall.

Next came the Trivial Pursuits. I got to start, threw a 6 and landed on Pink (entertainment) which I got right. I threw a 5 which gave me a free throw and got a 2 which put me on another colour, Brown I think which I also got right. Next I threw a 2 which also got me a freebie followed by a 5 which put me on Orange, the hated sports category, I got it right again. I now had 3 pieces of pie and Dil hasn’t even had a throw.  I got one wrong and Dil managed to get to a colour and answer correctly for his first piece. I had 5 pieces to his 3, then 4. Then I got my last piece and moved round the board to reach the centre. I got the question right and for once he didn’t ask me sport because he said I’d know it ( I did). I felt a little better now and hid my knuckledusters under a cushion.                                                                                                                                                            Because we seemed to get round quickly we had time for two games of cribbage. I won both. I was quite cock a hoop but for some reason Dil thought I might be overdoing the celebrations dancing on the table and didn’t believe I was just trying to avoid a spider I’d seen run across the floor. He accused me of oneupmanship, me !! Loser, Loser. He left at 9.30 pm and I went through the usual routine, check the silverware, tidy up, wash up, put Joey to bed and take my meds. I came through to start the mail and the blog. It’s going to be midnight tonight.

You thought I was going out with a Pole?

I’m doing the Sugar Plum Fairy today.

Thursday 18th Feb.

I scraped by with midnight last night. In bed I started a new (to me) James Patterson book and read a few chapters. They’re quite short chapters so it’s much easier to find a point to finish, mine came at about 12.45 am then the light went out and I settled down. My waking time was 4.38 am this morning and though I’d have liked longer I knew it wasn’t coming just yet. I attended parade at the Piddle Palace then came back and signed in.                                                                                                                                                                I checked my bank to see my pension had gone in and all was well there. It’s the 18th so it’s the day I start a new month in my accounts book. I readied the pages before doing anything else.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Next I signed into gmail and started work on the post until 5.30 am when I broke off to get some breakfast and take my morning meds . Cornflakes this morning for a change, and I allowed myself real sugar on the top. I really know how to live. Back to the post and I was working away without looking at the time. Suddenly my mail box is full again. The deluge has hit. I could only work until 8.45 am before getting dressed then I needed to go to Pauline’s for bread and my lottery tickets. I wonder if that box of sweets I sent to Lotto HQ has filtered down to the number pickers yet? Maybe I should have bought a bigger box? Tomorrow night will tell when they choose (or not) my numbers. When I came back from Pauline’s I had a quick tidy round before the cleaner came. Ridiculous isn’t it that we worry what someone else thinks of us.

I waited an worked and worked and waited. A text to say she couldn’t make it at 10.00 am arrived as she was running late, but would be there before 11.00 am. T’was not to be. Joey and I occupied ourselves with Homes Under the Hammer while we waited but at 11.00 am I came back to work. I should really have been peeling sweet potatoes. At 11.15 am she arrived. I had to show her where things were in the kitchen so while there I settled to my peeling and she settled to dusting and polishing in the lounge. Through the doorway I could see a little hive of activity as things were brought off windowsills and off tabletops to be cleaned and replaced. She preferred  a drink of pop to a hot drink so I left her with a bottle and retreated to my bedroom for a while in case I was dusted or polished. There was work to do.                                                                        At 12.30 pm I was going through to see what progress was being made as I’d heard the hoover going and no squawks from Joey. We met at the lounge door where she was coming to see if I wanted her to make a start on the hallway. Magic, that meant I could go and see the rest of Bargain Hunt. By 1.00 pm I could see the hallway was looking better and she’d performed a minor miracle on the console table making it so much tidier.                                                                                                                                                                       Ready for my lunch I was happy to let her go  with a promise I’d see her next Wednesday where she could do other rooms. I paid her, thanked her and let her go.

The Flash would have been proud of my speed getting some lunch ready. My stomach already thought my throat had been cut. Sausage, Sweet potato mash, carrots and peas with gravy. Believe me I enjoyed every mouthful and you wouldn’t have believed there was a pattern on the plate when I started. As there was nothing on the TV to distract me I went to work again once I’d washed the pots. I came back through at 2.50 pm when my mailbox was clear and enjoyed a little power nap. It lasted for 20 minutes . I waited  with Joey until 4.00 pm then had one last small go at the mail before returning to watch Flog It and then my Road Trip. That took me perfectly up to the time for Missing Without Trace and Bones. At 8..00 pm I played yo-yo again and did the mail that had come through while I was away, bar one which would take me a while. I had Murder in Paradise where I knew who had done the killing-and how-before they did. I’m not claiming it as a result of getting my Sherlock Holmes badge in the scouts unfortunately but only that I’ve seen the same tired storyline on other TV shows like Columbo and Murder She Wrote. It’s still an entertaining show though.                At 10.00 pm I took my meds, turned everything off, wished Joey a goodnight and came through to work. Not much mail to deal with so I was on the blog by 10.30 pm. I’ll be having another 11.30 pm bed tonight.

I’m a one man band.

Feeling Frumpy.

And now, here’s a choice for you. I go for No 1

Friday 19th Feb

I didn’t make my 11.30 pm deadline, but not because I was still working on he mail or this blog. It was because I had fixed in my mind the need to blog on the Buthidars. Sometimes an accumulation of things are suddenly crowding your brain and like dogs, have to be let out. Last night it was while listening to a song after finding one to place on the blog that tipped the scales for me. I’d read a fantastic blog with the most sickening pictures its possible to see on Wednesday and it had affected me greatly and made me remember the generation I came from who had all the hopes of creating a new world. Well people power did effect some changes for the better but we either didn’t go far enough or  terrible things like Institutional Racism survived the purge. As it seems did our propensity for sending youngsters off to wars we have no right being involved in. I made bed at midnight and turned my light out at 1.00 am. My mind kept working though and I woke at 4.24 am this morning still thinking about some of the pictures that I’d seen and the words to Eve of Destruction rattling around the cavernous space in my head.

I had a wee then came back to log onto the computer. I decided I’d work for an hour on mail then go for breakfast. So at 5.30 am I wandered through to the kitchen and took my meds.That reminded me it was Friday and that I had to fill my container with the next week’s worth of drugs. I did that before taking two pre-foodie tablets then going to sit in the dark with a ciggie. Joey didn’t seem to mind. Once the cigarette was out I put two mini slices of bread in the toaster and brought out the butter. For a change I had them warm then made a coffee to take back with me. I swallowed two of my after food tablets and started to work again. I had the chance to do about three pieces of post before the new morning’s mail descended on me. I was up to 84 and fighting hard to bring it down before more came in. By 9.00 am I’d not made much headway but I stopped to get dressed and go to the Post Office with a card for Germany and then to Pauline’s. She was on the phone so her husband Jim served me.           When I got back I put the bread away and reminded Joey I’d be with him soon for HUtH. I started work again but had just half an hour before joining Joey.

At 10.00 am when I joined Joey I was down to about 45 messages still to do. But when the programme was over it was 56. However I switched to my Flash identity and got a move on so there was steam rising from my keyboard. At 12.10 I was able to go through and start my lunch which today was corned beef, micro chips and baked beans. Easy and soon done so I could watch the important bits of Bargain Hunt. I did that then washed the pots and instead of having the kip I now wanted I returned yet again to work. Little had come in while I ate so by 2.15 pm I was free to do as I wished. What I wished was to fall asleep watching Father Brown but it wasn’t to be.                                      I decided to change my bed. I stripped it and dropped the old stuff in the washing machine but as I leaned over to pick up the bedding I d bought recently which was in the airing cupboard, my back went. Ooh agony. I sort of heard it Pop. I had no choice but to work through the pain to make the bed again but at the earliest moment I sat in my office chair and wondered how I’d ever get out again. Mind you I knew damn well that come Hell or high water I’d be in the lounge by 4.30 am for my antiques.

I was in the lounge at 4.30 pm. I had my usual programmes until 7.o0 pm then had a quick half hour on the computer with my mail before going back for Question of Sport. At 7.30 Mike sent a text to say he was on his way. I watched my Question of Sport and Mastermind and thought Mike would be annoyed to have missed them. At 8.30 pm I went, very gingerly, for a shower. I’d just got out and was drying myself when Mike arrived hopping fromf oot to foot to get to the loo after his journey. I was gracious and let him squeeze past. I dressed and left to make him a coffee. Luckily he didn’t notice the Quasimodo impression. Strange he didn’t hear me say “It’s the bells Esmerelda ” though. By the time the coffee was done we were just minutes away from the next episode of Shetland we’ve been following. He filled me in on the week’s news very quickly and then the programme was excellent.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Once over at 10.00 pm I came through with every intention to complete the mail and the blog then lie down flat. Mike decided he had more news to impart and followed me through for a quarter of an hour. I shall still be in bed for midnight.

The Harlem Shuffle.

Lying in the arms of Teddy.

Saturday 20th Feb.

I didn’t quite make my midnight last night but only because I had to go through to Mike’s room and ask him to apply cream to my legs as I found I couldn’t bend to reach then without pain, and couldn’t bend my legs up to my body either. It did him a favour anyway in that it made him remove his rings and he must have felt so much lighter. Mind you, I can’t talk these days since I wear 5. I found it very difficult to get comfortable in my bed and after a read till 1.00 am took forever to get to sleep. I woke at  4.23 am and though it was possible that I could have slept longer today I couldn’t afford to because of shopping. So, I paid a visit to the loo and returned to sign on.          The mail has been worse ( and will be at 6.10 am ) but for now I started and intended to work until 5.30 am and then go for some breakfast. As it happened I was finished with the first batch at 5.15 am so went then.

I came back from breakfast with a coffee and worked a while longer . It didn’t seem to be many minutes before I heard Mike’s first alarm  go off. I went through and made him a drink and my taking it to him coincided nicely with his second alarm. For one very silly second I thought my voice in conjunction with his alarm had made a difference and he was about to move. He was……he turned over.Three more alarms before 6.55 am and he finally got out of bed. Moments later he was asleep in his chair instead but reviving rapidly. I was dressed by then and at 7.10 am I heard him go to get dressed. I stuck my head in to let him know it was cool out.                                                                            I went out with the food waste and the plastic and paper recycling bags. When I came back it was to find Mike head first down the loo doing a technicolour yawn. When he finally stopped I sent him back to bed. I didn’t see him again until 9.00 am. I was quite prepared to do without the shopping trip but he insisted he was now well enough. We set off for the Supermarket. I was really lucky in that it wasn’t as busy this morning as I feared at 9.20 am and we were able to get around without me freezing in place because of strangers.Mind you I was freezing in place when I moved just slightly the wrong way as my back was bad.

All the disabled places in McDonald’s were occupied so Mike suggested going straight to Flint and having a coffee at Temptations first. I was all for that. We arrived about 10.00 am and found a parking space then went into Temptations armed with a box of chocolates. Sian was on with Ceri the manageress so we soon had our drinks in front of us along with Mike’s teasted toecake. We were there a while but managed to get out without Mike chatting up a member of staff.                                                                                    We left and went over to Homies where I bought a few things, to Jolley’s for more seed bells for Joey and to B & M (BUM) where we didn’t actually buy a thing. Back out in the pouring rain and over to the car. Mike asked “What next” to which I replied “I’ll leave it up to you.” That brought on a moan but in the end we decided to go for food and as Mike was in the mood for a breakfast we had to think about where we’d enjoyed one most. That’s usually the Bells of St Mary’s but they stop serving at 11.30 am. Instead we settled on the Bells in Holywell where Mike had his breakfast and I had gammon and pineapple.                                                                                                                                     Once we’d eaten it was into the Iceland frozen food shop to see if they did anything like the boeuf bourgingon I missed last weekend and then into the car to come home as I was lucky. We were actually home for 2.00 pm which was a miracle.

Once the shopping was away for which I needed Mike’s help to bend I came away to start work and catch up much earlier than usual. By 6.00 pm I’d done so and was able to go back through to keep Mike company, or I would have done had he been awake. He’s pinching my power naps and I’m missing out badly.                                                             The TV was on some atrocious film so I turned over to a different one just starting that Joey and I could watch together. It was sad that Joey is being very vocal and repeating his name for me when I have to be careful not to wake Mike up. His son did that for me by texting to say he was ready to exchange cars. Mike told me he’s up this weekend visiting his sister-in-law and is letting Mike use the bigger car to go back to Manchester tomorrow and collect the last of the things from his fathers flat to transport back home. The keys can finally be turned over then. So Mike went off to do the swap and I was left with Midsomer Murders on TV.                                                            I made myself a sandwich and had my cake in between episodes.Mike was back in time for another one to start. I stayed there until 10.00 pm then amid much laughter as I struggled out of my chair, came through to clear the mail and do tonight’s blog before posting. Because of the work I’d been able to do earlier on the mail was cleared by 10.57 pm. I’m having a clear run at the blog now.

Family Guy.

I dread to think what’s going on in her mind.

MuJo returns & Scratch the Verbal Abuse.

Sunday 31st Jan.
well I read until 1.00 am as usual buy as I turned my light out I found I wasn’t as tired as I thought I was. It took a while to get off to sleep. I woke at 3.30 am and was convinced I was fully awake. After visiting the loo I signed on and made a start on the mail. It must have been about 5.30 am I thought of going for my tabs but I suddenly found myself coming awake at the screen fifteen minutes after that. I was back at my desk for 6.00 am and started on a message. Suddenly the message wasn’t on my screen and it was now 6.15 am. And so it went on with me having little ‘blackouts’ at the keyboard. Sometimes the same message would be there to finish (yay) and sometimes it would be gone ( possible Oops). It went on like that until about 9.30 am. I really don’t know how I made any progress (  IF I actually made any progress) but after that I heard Mike try to Die by Coughing and get himself up. I went through to make a coffee.

I don’t think either of us was at our best and I’m sure we got by on part conversations and part telepathy ( spelled pathetically). We ascertained I wouldn’t mind a couple of extra birthday presents as I didn’t think my choices yesterday were very inspired. Struggling to stay awake we went off to get dressed. When he came out of his room later it smelled like a Burmese Bordello I wondered who he intended to meet today. About 11.00 am we went out and drove over to The Tweed Mill that I’ve mentioned before. It’s like an outlet village under one roof. I found a couple of things for Dil’s wife Lynn and put them behind the counter then we went in search of some lunch. We both settled on steak and mushroom pie with roast potatoes and veg. Mike had an egg custard pudding and I had a strawberry tart and cream. Afterwards we went outide and had a cigarette, the woman on the main tills must have thought I was running out on my purchases.

When we went back in I concentrated on something for Dil. It didn’t take too long to find, and Mike took it over to add to the other saves while we carried on looking in general. I had meant to get a ladies scarf but totally forgot so I may look on Tuesday. We looked upstairs at the leather jackets and outdoors stuff plus my favourite Brakeburn shoes but as Mike refused a coffee (gasp) we went back downstairs (via the lift) I paid for my goods and we left.                                                                                                    I knew things would be fairly bad when we got home but even so, I couldn’t just leave Mike in the lounge and disappear to work so I stayed with him and fell asleep instead. While I slept he did the flowers and was bringing them in when I woke. He sat down and fall asleep himself. I suppose I couldn’t complain. I turned the Simpson’s on instead to entertain me. When Mike woke we watched half a film before he decided about 4.00 pm it was time to go. Once I’d seen him off I was able to go to work.                                  The was Beowulf on at 7.00 pm so I intended working just until that time and then making myself some tea to have my second food tablets of the day. As it happened I was finished by 6.40 pm so I stuck TV on and went to the kitchen to do tea.

When I took my tea through there was a film on that had already started. It was called John Carter. I have seen it before but quite a while ago so I decided to stick with it instead of Beowulf. I can’t say how much I enjoyed it. I suppose it’s CGI but the aliens look thoroughly real and I love his interaction with them, Martians all. I was really entertained. I had another hour of TV until 9.00 pm then came through. I was working well on the mail when John got in touch via skype so I was with him and Muriel for ages seeing how they are. It was 11.30 pm before I was able to break away to do the blog. It will be late to bed but maybe I can have a lie in tomorrow.

Keeping watch

Seeing the joke.

Monday 1st Feb.

Well, it wasn’t too late to bed at 12.20 am. I still read to just 1.00 am though and then settled to sleep. It wasn’t too long in coming. Nor did it stay long as I woke first at 2.00 am and refused to budge. After getting back to sleep I was expecting ructions from the small gods and some spite by allowing my just half an hour. Instead I was in bed till 4.30 am. I didn’t mind moving too much then.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 After signing in I worked on my mail till 5.30 am then went to take my meds and grab some breakfast. Two rounds of toast slathered in butter was plenty. When I returned I couldn’t seem to make any headway and it took me a while to realise it was because every time I did one, more came in on the flood tide. I’d passed the 6.10 am marker. At 6.30 am I was so desperate for a cigarette I got dressed and went for a packet then came back and carried on.

At 9.00 am I went to the chemist to hand in my prescription request. I was lucky to keep my feet the wind was gusting so strongly. I was glad I had no further plans for going out. Once back I started again and by 9.55 am I was down to the last half dozen. They could wait as I packed up and went through to see Homes Under the Hammer. When I say see I use it figuratively since after the first 15 minutes I fell asleep until the last 5 minutes. When I woke I didn’t know where I was or even what day it was. I was sure someone was here with me and quickly picked up the things on the couch I’d dumped last night for wrapping. Realisation took a while this time, but at least the settee was tidier. I’d decided not to wrap today in case I managed to find a scarf tomorrow in Chester.  I returned to work.                                                                                                                      At 11.50 am I went back through to the kitchen to make some lunch. A cottage pie today which I ate with Bargain Hunt on the box.

When Bargain Hunt ended I returned to my room and any waiting work. I was chuffed to find it didn’t occupy me past 2.05 pm because I really felt like getting my head down. I retreated to my chair and did just that. It was 3.20 pm before I raised my head again. It was good to get it out of the way before my 4.30 pm Road Trip. I upset Joey by sweeping up around his cage, he plays the martyr by flying round the room as though he can’t land on his mirror yet I’ve passed closer without disturbing him. Anyway it’s his own fault for being a messy eater.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           I did a little tidying and then went to make sure any incoming was cleared before my programme.  I was there ready for the start. The show was excellent  as was Pointless which followed. Unusually then I didn’t have my second quiz but turned over for ‘Missing’ followed by ‘Bones’ and then a programme about pyramid cities in the Mississippi Delta. Then I had to call a halt and return to work or it would be a late night.

I was left feeling very introspective after a friend Judith B of New Zealand posted on her blog about telling people you love them. She mentioned when her husband who she refers to as the Architect was in a hospice and she relied on hearing being the last of the senses to go. It brought back so much about Julia’s time there too where our family gathered to say goodbye.

Tonight I thought I’d offer something different in the way of music. The first is not one I can claim to remember from the 60’s and as it’s classical music may not be to everyone’s taste. For those who prefer something a little later I offer a second option which I think is from  70’s and may suit better. Oddly enough it tells the same story.

https://archive.org/details/UnVelDiVedremomadameButterfly

Tuesday 2nd Feb

I read till only 12.30 am and out went the light. Sleep wasn’t easy but it came. Some humorist thought getting me up again at 1.30 am would be very funny but other than a trip to the loo I resisted. After a cigarette while sitting on the edge of my bed, I climbed back in and settled. My next time up was 4.34 am. None too shabby really I suppose. At 5.30 am I went for breakfast and the morning meds and brought a coffee back. I got dressed so I wasn’t struggling for time after. By the time I’d finished the amount of mail I had left was being multiplied by the 6.10 am rush. I was able to plough into them until 7.15 am when I had to get my coat on and set off.                                       There was a bit of a mathematical problem this morning. As I walked up the hill at 2 mph I was met with a gift of wind from the US (Thanks America) at 70 mph. What time did I get home? And yes, the answer should be, before I left. It was a real struggle but I made it to the bus stop. I did wonder if the bus might make it or not since the firm that runs them uses cast offs from some African nation that haven’t been worked on for years.

The bus came and got me to Chester a little early so I had a cigarette before I found out Yvonne was late anyway. We had a bit of a session trying to text each other till she left me a voice mail. I was listening to it through one ear as she was shouting into the other one that she’d arrived. We picked up a couple of things for baby from the chemist and then went to our favourite Chester store for coffee and breakfast (whether you want it or not). I had Amelie on my lap as I drank my coffee and she was as good as gold- fast asleep. I bought the kids a few things there then a pair of jeans for myself before going down to get the scarves that were the whole point of going  to that particular shop.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               We were on our second shop when Amelie showed signs of waking. There were a few subtle roars of hunger and a denunciation of her mother for not walking round with her boobs out and at the ready. We quickly hid our faces and scuttled out, well OK, I quickly hid my face and scuttled out. I suggested we go to a cafe over the road (appropriate yes) where they can settle down and where Yvonne and I can have a drink too. It’s very clever. They have like a rather large bib that drapes over Yvonne from the neck down and Amelie is hidden behind it. Yvonne just looks rather deformed and people do glance sideways at us when they hear her chest slurp and burp. The feed had just finished when I realised how close we were to bus time. We had a very quick walk down the sale rails and then straight out to my bus which was already at the stop.

I nodded off for some of the journey home but I was checking constantly that we weren’t pushed into any temporal time zones by the wind. I didn’t want to get back to a time before chips and curry sauce were invented. When I got off the bus I called into Pauline’s for some bread, cigs and my TV mag before hurrying to let an unhappy Joey out of his cage. Having had breakfast twice today I was in no rush to have lunch so I concentrated on work. It took me from 1.10 pm to 4.30 pm without a break to put most of the work away. I watched my usual Road Trip though didn’t hear most of it thanks to Joey complaining. I made myself some tea and took the appropriate tablets then settled to my quiz which I confess I fell asleep in. I woke up ten minutes into the news and Joey was still going ten to the dozen, he really doesn’t like his own company much. I found that Missing was on again as was Bones which until tonight I didn’t realise was a young Temperance Brennan who without looking is I think Kathy Reich’s heroine. I was a little surprised they played so much humour into it because I don’t remember the adult books that way.

Anyhoo, I turned the TV off at 8.30 am and locked Joey up again. I came through to start work. There was a lot of mail and the blog needed to be done too but I think it’s going to be an 11.00 pm night tonight. Aw heck, if only there was a woman here to occupy all this free time.

In repose.

I may be asleep Pops but you’re going nowhere.

Wednesday 3rd Feb.

I actually made the 11.00 pm deadline last night and was in bed as it came round. I opened my book to read and carried on until 12.02 am when the light went out. My gyrating mechanism must have been fixed as it worked very well in trying to settle until I must have been exhausted enough to sleep. 1.24 am was the first time I rose. A ciggie on the side of my bed seemed to settle me enough to try again.The next time and my up time was a fun 3.33 am.                                                                                                             A visit to the loo was in order before I came back and signed into my gmail account. Oddly enough I had 33 messages at that time. They were done and dusted at 4.56 am at which time my eyes started leaking copious amounts of water as I yawned, and boy did I yawn. If it was an Olympic sport I’d be winning for Wales.  There was a temptation to lie on the bed and sleep again but I decided to have breakfast and take my meds so I’d be awake for the daily deluge. Rice Krispies did the job of filling me today before I brought  coffee back to my room.

I finished the few messages that had come through since before breakfast and then signed into Facebook for the things apparently waiting for me which were said to include two messages. I dealt with everything that was there but could not find the messages which I’m quite sure I must have done before. I couldn’t put off the inevitable any more and went back to the deluge. Ouch, it hurt. If you think Joey was mad yesterday you should have seen him at lunchtime because thanks to you lot it was 11.35 am before I left my room this morning  and got to say good morning to him. OK, I’ll admit that maybe once or twice I might have nodded off over my keyboard but mainly it’s down to you. The post is usually only this bad after I post the blog.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I sat in the lounge for 15 minutes telling Joey you’re not all that bad and you didn’t mean to deprive him. After that I had to give some thought to lunch and went to take my pre-foodies. I ate while watching Bargain Hunt which even Joey admits I’d be better at than some of the numpties they have buying things. Mind you, to be fair the premise of the show which is buying antiques at either antique fairs or antique shops to sell at auction is a little spurious considering that’s almost buying high and selling low as is so often proved.

At 1.00 pm I returned to clear up any outstanding ,ail and then at 1.35 pm allowed myself a sleep in my chair. I came to at 2.05 pm but stayed for Father Brown. I came back to work again at 3.00 pm until 4.20 when I wanted to be ready for Dil’s arrival. I put stuff in his mug ready and then watched the start of the Road Trip. Dil turned up 5 minutes later and I almost had his drink ready for him. After Road Trip we watched our usual quiz but I nodded off part way through and only came to at the end for the final. I felt awful about it. Dil was understanding though.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            As the TV went off out came the table and the first box, the Yahtzee. I had to dash off to quickly run some more score sheets off. First sheet of six was 3 games all but as usual we carried on for another sheet which I won 4-2 despite some people having more jam than Hartley’s where Yahtzees are concerned. We turned to Trivia. Though I was answering questions it just wan’t when I was on the square that gave me a piece of pizza. Dil on the other hand answered everywhere he landed. We both had all six slices but he got to the centre first and answered the question I asked with ease. Rats!! There was time for cribbage and though I made him suffer by beating him by a big margin in the first game he came back in the second game with a 20 score and two 16”s as well as a 12. He sailed round the board and was safely at home a full street ahead of me. The evening was a draw though I felt trounced.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Dil left and I set to tidying up and washing pots. I locked Joey in, took my meds and went through to my room where I’ve been catching up ever since. It will be midnight tonight. Tomorrow I think it’s MuJo at last. He seems better.

Yay, the winner !

It was this big, honest.

Thursday 4th Feb

I didn’t read for long last night and the light went out at about 12.30 am. Someone tried teasing me with a 2.28 am get up but I was in refuse mode today so I just visited the loo then climbed back into bed and turned over. Next thing I know it’s 5.03 am. That’s anything up to four and a half hours, wonderful. I went straight to the kitchen,had breakfast and took my meds. Coming back here I ploughed into the remnants of last night’s mail and everything till the time I got up. I was trying to have nil in my box before the flood started. I almost made it. But, when the flood came it could be handled. I had the time and the determination today.                                                                 Because I needed to visit Pauline’s before MuJo arrive, I worked on finishing before then. I managed it for 9.02 am, got dressed and went out. I hurried back as a priority was cleaning Joey’s cage out today. That involved new sandpaper at the bottom, new millet, seed and water  and I needed him out of the cage for some of that.

I was nipping between my bedroom office and the lounge, doing a message then trying to coax him out of the cage. He showed absolutely no signs of moving. At 10.00 am though when the mail was up to date I turned the TV on for Homes Under the Hammer and the little rogue came out. I was able to get everything done I wanted to even at the expense of missing my programme while he watched it. I’m sure he’s checking out auction prices before he moves. I only just finished doing everything before MuJo arrived at about 10.40 am. They came bearing gifts for my birthday and I had great pleasure in bringing all their Christmas gifts out for them. They wouldn’t open any though.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 We caught up on how everyone was, in particular John who has been ill since before Christmas hence the reason for no visits. I plied them with drinks and at 11.10 am Muriel asked if we minded going early as she needed the Post Office in town . That meant John and I would visit the first two of his charity shops before we met up and went to lunch. It was the chippy naturally. I had mince and mushrooms with chips and peas but couldn’t finish it all. (I left a chip). John had fish and chips and Mu had a piece of chicken (the breast) and peas. We all had mugs of tea. It was a nice meal right up until the delivery of the bill. I didn’t see it coming and Mu all but snatched the poor girls arm off to get it. As we left the place she was still cowering in a corner saying “Do you want gravy with that madam?”

We made our way back to the car. Next stop Flint. We called at ALDI first so Mu could pick up some shopping and I picked up chocolates for Temptations. That was our next stop and we even had another battle at the counter when Muriel got her money over the counter first in contravention to the rools, he who pays for lunch, t’other pays for coffee and cake. I should have bought stake for her black eye, and don’t bother telling me I’ve mis-spelt that, I know what I mean.                                                                              We had a short wander afterwards as John still can’t do distances but eventually he and I went to sit in the car while Mu went to get some clothes for Amelie. We drove home again and took our shopping in. Muriel brought the bag in with Amelie’s clothes and there as also a black fleece of MYOB size which wouldn’t fit her till she’s 80. Another birthday gift for me or some terrible idea of how a baby dresses these days. They left at 4.00 pm while Muriel still had sight in one eye.

I had half an hour to get as much work done as possible before my Road Trip started and I hadn’t even packed a case yet. I made a start and promised myself I’d give up the quiz and do some more. At 5.15 pm I duly reappeared and did some more till 6.00 pm then disappeared till 8.00 pm. ‘Missing’ and ‘Bones’ were calling out to me. I enjoyed both shows and then to keep my word I turned the TV off and came through. I left the light on for Joey as Mike would be along later and would drink his coffee in there. It was 9.58 pm when Mike arrived so I went to the kitchen and made his drink. I sat with him till 11.00 pm to learn about his week and he mine ( It’s been fine is what he learned from me). At that time though I needed to come and finish what I’d started and get the blog done. Midnight bed probably but no surgery in the morning.

I’m keeping an eye on you.

First trip to the dentist. Where’s the FEAR?

Friday 5th Feb.

I read until 1.00 am though Mike maintains I only look at the pictures and risk going blind. I took a chance on one eye. I’m not sure how long exactly it took to go to sleep but I was still awake at half past. As I was trying to sleep on my stomach around then it was difficult to look at the clock. I contemplated getting up gain and having a cigarette but it was too much effort. When I woke up I was on my back again and it was 4.57 am.                                                                                                                                                           It was loo time then signing onto the computer and getting gmail up.I decided to work until 5.30 am and then go and take my drugs followed by preparing my drugs for the next week. My first management decision of the day was not to have breakfast as I’d either have to time the taking of my pre-foodies for sometime during the tablet sorting or after that which meant I’d be in the kitchen at least a further half  hour. I did what I had to do and made myself a coffee to bring back.

I checked my mail again and I just had a few to finish from earlier. Part way through them the deluge started. I was still sitting there at 9.50 am when Mike’s phone went off. I headed for the kitchen to put the kettle on and I opened Joey’s cage at the same time. He just sat and sulked. I took Mike  coffee through to the lounge as I heard him up and about, then turned the TV on to Homes Under the Hammer. When that was over I returned to work and Mike prepared to go off to see his father. He said goodbye about 11.15 am.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                It was about 11.40 am when I finally managed to get up to date after which I had to go straight to the kitchen to start peeling sweet potatoes. I had my bangers and mash day today and made myself onion gravy to go with it, and it was definitely more onion than gravy. I ate while watching Bargain Hunt with it’s third or fourth different presenter this week. Reluctantly at 1.00 pm I went back t check on work. A miracle occurred as there wasn’t too much so at 1.50 pm I decided I needed to nod off. I took to my chair. It was a success, I nodded until nearly 3.00 pm. I watched the last  one of What’s it Worth then checked my mail again. This time it caught me unprepared but I would only work till 4.30 pm anyway. Mike had said he was calling in on friends in Manchester and didn’t know when he’d be back so I knew he wouldn’t join me for Road Trip. I started watching it and hoping Charlie was going to catch up and win but I didn’t fancy his chances.                                                                                                                                       Ach, I’m a disgrace, I never saw the end of it. I fell asleep again. The next thing I know is I’m waking up and Pointless is on then a voice from beside me said “Oh hello”. He’d forgotten his friends are abroad this week and had come home early. Damn, caught out! I can’t say how hard I’ve been working all day now.

At 6.30 pm I went for my shower and a verbal abuse session from Mike while he washed my hair about scratching. Once I’d recovered from the hurtful shock, I made myself something to eat for my second set of tablets then watched an episode of MASH with Mike before Question of Sport then Mastermind. The next programme was a comparison between three differently priced items like food processors to see which gave best value for money. Finally we got to the latest serial to grip us which is Shetland. It’s really good though sometimes we need a translation from the Scottish accents to the English. They might as well be speaking Gaelic.                                                   Finally at 10.00 pm, to my great delight -of course- I was able to return to my much missed post and blog. Hmmm, do I detect a faint whiff of sarcasm round here?

I like the joke…….

….but I love the punchline!

Saturday 6th Feb.

1.00 pm book down, lights out, wriggle and wriggle and wriggle. Sleep overcame me at some point. Have you ever had a night where you just can’t get comfy in bed? It’s a pain. I woke at 2.10 am and was tempted to stay up rather than go through the wriggling again but after a cigarette sitting on the edge of the bed I thought I’d be OK. I was. Next time I woke was 4.50 am and this time I didn’t mind staying up.                                                                                                                                                                                                                After a visit to the loo I signed into the computer and headed for my gmail. First I encountered a message to say I won’t be receiving updates any more as my version of Windows won’t be supported. In gmail I was pleasantly surprised by how few emails had built up while  was asleep….or at least away from the computer. I was clear by 6.00 am which gave me chance to get my meds, have breakfast and make a coffee all before Mike’s alarm goes off.

I was just leaving the kitchen with my coffee when I heard his alarm. I made a drink  and took it through getting the usual grunt when I told him it was there. After that I was safe to take my drink back to my room and start work. There would be at least 4 repetitions of the alarm before he moved. It was 4, and I’d finished my drink and washed my cup out by then. And yet he can move like a well oiled machine when he wants, well perhaps more half cut than well oiled. His coffee finished, dressed and ready to go by 7.15 am despite having only got up at 6.50 am. We were at the supermarket for 7.40 am.                                                                                                                                          Unfortunately there was a sale on children’s clothes again which delayed me a while but at least it kept me from some other shelves and away from the gent’s department too ha ha, of course it didn’t but there was nothing to interest either of us. By the time we actually hit the food part of the store I could literally sail round. We know those aisles like the back of our hands. Soon we were through the checkout and into the cafe. While Mike got the drinks I bought some cigarettes. He didn’t enjoy the first couple of sips of his drink and said he was leaving the rest so naturally I carried on with mine and enjoyed every mouthful.

Leaving there we went to another store where Mike was still looking for a specific shopping bag for his sister, he found it in this one and we were able to continue our journey to Flint. Because of the disaster with his last coffee he wanted to go to Temptations first. I agreed just to get him to stop crying. Kyle was in the process of making the drinks before we reached the counter and Ceri had put a teasted toecake in for  him. We sat and enjoyed the drink then took a walk round the shops including Argos for a change where I picked up something I think Roobs will like given his fascination with penguins currently. Mike specifically wanted some innersoles in leather and we were able to get those.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Eventually time started running away from us and we decided we had to go for lunch. It took another twenty minutes to decide where and given that we selected The Dragon’s Rest again which still may not be open, we had to have a list of contingencies. It was open. I rejoiced in the fact no more discussion was needed. We both had a roast lamb dinner though I was very indecisive at first as bacon was on the menu. Still, we got a cloth and wiped it. The meal was nice and after it settled a bit we decided to have pudding. I selected rhubarb crumble and custard and Mike said treacle sponge and custard. Ten seconds later they came out to say they had no rhubarb crumble  but they had rhubarb and apple. I had treacle sponge and custard.

Eventually we were able to leave our seats and stagger to the car. We were home in 20 minutes. The car was unpacked and the shopping put away. I took my courage in both hands and let Joey loose. He was very subdued for a change. At 2.00 pm I started work leaving Mike in the lounge with the TV and the bird. About 3.00 pm he came and said he wasn’t feeling well and was going back to bed to lie down. He was asleep in no time at all. I worked till just before 6.00 pm when I finally got up to date. I joined Joey in the lounge and put the light on so he could fly about again. I was watching a quiz when Mike came back through. He thinks he should see a doctor next week which I’ve said he should do this last two weekends. Finally he’s put batteries in his hearing aids.                                                                                                                                                                        I stayed there until 10.10 pm before taking my meds and coming through to attack the mail again and the blog.

Fluorescent

Sleepsuit.

Wishing you all a fantastic new week full of dreams come true and Hugs Galore.

 

Voice from My Boots & Welcome to Rapid Wrap.

Sunday 6th Dec.
I managed to finish last night, get to bed for a read and have my light out for 1.00 am. I was tired. This morning I was up at 4.03 am and yes it was another day where I had to repeat the system restore. I wish there was a way to stop it happening, it just wasted so much time. I went to my gmail and was surprised to find so much new mail so early but of course the blog had gone out so there were comments to read.Wonderful, thank you.  I worked till 5.45 am then went to the kitchen for breakfast and meds. I was going to add tap dancing lessons but kept falling in the sink. When I returned with my coffee all was wonderful, I looked and there were just four pieces of new mail. I started doing one of them. As I finished and clicked delete all hell broke loose. The three grew to 52, 71, 87, 97, 104 then I stopped breathing, decided I was really tired and fazed out for ten minutes.

When I came back it wasn’t a dream. They were there. Drat. I had to make a start. By 8.30 am I was flagging badly and at 8.40 am knew I either lay down or fell down. I chose the former and was out like a light. I heard a sound and woke. My clock said 9.20 am and I realised Mike was up. How or why I don’t know but my fingers were crossed it didn’t involve washing sheets. I didn’t go straight through as masochistic as I am I wanted to see where I stood now. Look at it this way I should get a lot taller. Mike came through to say he’d seen me sleeping ( and heard me snoring but that’s just hearsay) and was going to leave me. I wondered why he’d had to practice the drums that woke me then. I dried my tears and went back in with him in case he couldn’t find the kitchen to make his own drink.                                                                                                        I let Joey out of his cage and saw to fresh seed and water then Mike and I just sat and talked about what I wanted from life. He ruled out a set of traffic lights in the hallway. There were some problems deciding who wanted to do what today. He knew if we stayed in I’d be on the computer so that was a no-no but he wasn’t prepared to come up with suggestions.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             I reminded him that he wanted to get some Maple Syrup for his son ( a reasonable exchange I suppose)( Sorry Anton, you know I love you really) but we both knew there was a problem finding it last time so I suggested we start at Tesco’s ( because it’s very close) and he said “Great, let’s go to the one at Broughton Park.”                                            By the time we’d got dressed and I’d laughed my socks off at Mike trying to get into the jeans we’d bought yesterday, a size bigger that he’s worn for 12 months., it was getting towards 11.30 am. We set off and were in Broughton around midday.

When we’d (well him really as I don’t drive remember) parked up at Broughton we went into Tesco’s and did manage to find some Maple Syrup. I picked up a couple of other things from the food aisles but nothing important. We took a look upstairs at the sale goods in the men’s section but nothing stood out. Finally at getting on towards 1.00 pm we left ( sorry, we PAID and left, I don’t want a knock on the door from the police) and walked over towards the restaurants. Mr difficult as usual didn’t make it easy and most of them were closed before he’d decided where he wanted to eat. In the end the choice came down to one that we found really was closed, a pizza place or Frankie and Benny’s. The latter was the one we chose.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Being seated wasn’t a problem and neither was ordering drinks. When the drinks arrived we were ready to order and it was at that point they chose to warn us the wait was 15 to 20 minutes. I needed to know for my tablet so I ordered and said I’d wait ten minuted and then take the pre-foodie. It turned out the wait was 35 minutes and I’d already had my tabs 25 minutes before the food came. I took the blame as they’d been looking for my gammon steak. Mike thought they’d been looking for the pig. Mike got another coffee.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The meal was nice. Freshly cooked and warm and quite tasty but with a bill at the end of coppers short of £40 I didn’t see a meal that was worth that. My full Sunday roast in Prestatyn is only a little over £20 for the two of us including drinks and cheaper than that at less than £20 at the Bells of St.Mary’s.  Still, we were out somewhere different and afterwards seeing some different shops.

It was 3.40 pm before we left for home and the rollocking we knew we’d get from Joey for leaving him alone for so long, and in the dark. Oh sorry, did I say we’d get? Only someone didn’t put himself in the line of fire for that and instead grabbed his bags ready to drive home. I left the lounge light on for Joey and did speak to him a little but departed for the disaster zone as soon as possible. I could hear Joey through the door…… 6 inches of solid oak with a vacuum seal. I worked from 4.15 pm to 6.00 pm then went to have some tea and a serious talk with Joey. Sit down before I tell you……..I had an apple. I rewatched Bruce Almighty because I like Morgan Freeman then at 8.00 pm came back through. I had to keep going until  the backlog was all gone. 9.46 pm. Then I started the blog a little early and voila, it’s 10.55 pm and I can clear whatever else has come in and get an early nigh ready to be MuJo’d tomorrow.

Mischief planning

Monday 7th Dec.

The day started with a disaster of the ‘I’m pulling my hair out’ proportions. I got up at 3.37 am and after my visit to the Pee Palazzo I came back to power up and log in.         ( Sounds like something a superhero says.)  I got the usual ‘not responsing’ message do you want to ‘wait or kill’ I had a pretty good idea of my preference at that point. I did a system restore as I’ve had to all this week but it didn’t work. Knowing it had worked up to midnight yesterday I tried another restore using that as the time but no joy at all. I tried waiting, that didn’t work, I tried killing and it wasn’ t interested. I don’t know how many times I tried. At 5.15 am I went through to the kitchen and took my meds and had breakfast. For a certain Aussie who isn’t keen on my diet, I had a banana. How’s that for progress. I brought a coffee back with me to keep trying.

It was just before 8.05 am I checked back to when the problem first started and found it was after a Microsoft update on 3rd Dec. In desperation I did a system restore back to 2nd Dec and tried that. It worked. I started rethreading my hair. My fingers are crossed it will work tomorrow morning now. I only had until 9.00 am to scratch the surface of the mail as I needed to go to the chemist with a repeat prescription request and the Post Office with a card for Germany. When I got back I had to sooth the ruffled feathers of a budgie who sought release and didn’t have it. I let him free, spoke to him a bit and came back to work. The Postman came at 10.00 am with the remote plugs I’d ordered . Then I had to text Bev to let her know I wouldn’t be in if she called. She replied to say she’d just called and it was OK. I hadn’t heard her at the door and was in the kitchen doing Ju’s flowers we’d forgotten yesterday. I apologised.                                                                                                                                                                                                    I hadn’t finished the flowers when MuJo arrived so they had to hang on a few minutes for drinks. We chatted as I worked. As usual  being Brits it was about the weather but flippin ‘eck, there’s been something to talk about recently. I finished up and saw to drinks and passed Mu a couple of little gifts I’d picked up.

At 11.30 am we went out and headed for town. Mu wanted the main Post Office and John the charity shops before we all went for lunch. After we’d eaten Mu bought something in Iceland and we dropped it off to go in my freezer as we were heading for Flint. They’re getting some of their Christmas meat early to be sure it doesn’t disappear. Then we headed for a Supermarket in Flint where I bought chocs for Temptations and then we went to Tempies itself. John had an orange juice and a cake to save for later. I ordered Mu a chocolate Indulgence that had whipped cream and marshmallows toppling from a great height, she also had a cake today. I got my latte. Afterwards we did a few shops then came home.

They left for home about 4.00 pm so I was able to get to work. I did as much as I could before 6.00 pm then had my Eggheads. I came back to work at 6.30 pm until 8.00 pm then skived for two hours. The first hour was a programme on the Cathars in whom I’m very interested. The second was a DIY SOS where I even had to pass Joey a tissue. Then night night Joey as I came back through to do the blog. I still haven’t managed to do half the mail. I’m taking Yvonne’s birthday prezzies tomorrow so it’ll be no better then.

I’m going to show a photograph now but it’s for the attention of my friend Merril so please no-one else look at it as it’s a secret.

The Afro days.

OK, now it’s the photo for you lot.

A mighty roar.

Tuesday 8th Dec.

Yesterday had a disastrous start while today’s was just strange. I woke at 2.55 am sitting in my office chair with the computer already on just waiting for me to sign in. It wasn’t as though I’d sat down on my way back from a loo trip either since I found that was the first thing I needed. The second thing I needed was a brass band. I wanted to celebrate actually getting on the web today. My fix of yesterday had worked. I’m for hire Microsoft .                                                                                                                                               By 4.42 I was clear and hopefully could keep on top of anything coming in except the 6.10 am deluge. I had to be out of the house by 7.30 am to catch my bus.I went through and took my meds and had some breakfast, cornflakes today.                                                                                                                                                                                                               When I came back from breakfast I got dressed. I’m getting quite grown up now remembering which sock goes on which foot without help.  Damn, I got it wrong.

I worked until 7.10 m which was as late as I dared before getting my shoes and coat on. Then grabbing my crutches and the two big bags for Yvonne I made my way slowly to the bus stop. It was just as well I’d left when I did as I was getting towards the bus stop when the bus went past. Not so far that it would miss me and leave without me. What was a surprise was that it didn’t stop to let me on. As I got there the reason became apparent, Howard wasn’t driving. I asked if he was on holiday again only to be told he left the company last week to start with a different company who don’t have buses on my route.                                                                                                                                                     For most of the journey I nodded so it was over quite quickly. I walked towards where my deadly duo would normally appear until they came into sight. My poor baby was walking so badly after her fall I really don’t know why she came out.  I hugged her and wished her a Happy Birthday (Penblwydd Hapus). I gave Roobs a kiss on his forehead as that’s what he offered and he’s too low to bend further. I was taken aback with the clarity of his speech and sentence structure, ” Hello Pops, are you alright?” Yvonne asked what I wanted to do first and I just said LOO to which she  replied “And me” so we went into the Nero coffee house near to where we were.                                        Over coffee Yvonne opened her prezzies and was thrilled. We had the usual argy-bargy about money inside her card but I put on my best “Do as you’re told, I’m your Daddy” voice from my boots and for once I think it worked. She loved her watch. Mike had got her a great knitting kit and she really chuckled at it.

We went from there to our usual shop where I couldn’t stop my hand grabbing a jacket in the sales and rushing off with it. No good, they made me come back and pay for it. Yvonne picked up a couple of things for the baby  having roped Reuben to the pushchair and then we moved on. The next shop had toys. Roobs had a new one, a wolf,from before they met me but of course he wanted every other toy in this place and was willing to leave the previously chosen toy behind. I dis a Cassandra and predicted tears before bedtime but in fact only had to wait about two minutes. The not so convincing tears along with the I wants came along and were largely ignored. The screams that followed weren’t. Luckily I’d brought him chocolate this morning. Pops learns.                                                                                                                                                                                             We moved to another shop where the protests weren’t as bad and then finally thinking Yvonne had suffered enough we went to a Supermarket where we could have coffee and where I could buy Yvonne a birthday cake. Stupidly we let Reuben off the leash and he delighted in going too far pushing his poor Mum to her limits. Not coming when called and knowingly going out of sight. You can really see why it’s called the Terrible Twos.                                                                                                                                                                 It was time for my bus so we ambled off to the stop where I didn’t have long to  wait. I was allowed to kiss Reuben but only on the forehead again though I did get a little wave too. After huge hugs from Yvonne I told her to head home and got on my bus. I nodded most of the way back again and when we arrived I stopped at Pauline’s.

Once at home I put stuff in the freezer then went through to let Joey out and see to my lunch. As I was so worried about my mail I made a chips and curry sauce and chatted to Joey as I ate. Once I’d washed up I went through to my bedroom and opened the mail. OUCH. I started work. That was about 1.30 pm. I stopped at 2.15 pm to see a series I’m watching (hah) then slept through about half of it. I never found out who dunnit. Back to work until 5.45 pm I managed to clear a lot but nowhere near enough. I started watching the last few minutes of my quiz but Joey wanted one on one time. We talked. I explained about work and managed to negotiate some TV time too.                 Back to work  at 6.30 pm to 8.00  pm and I managed to get the mail right down at that point. At 9.15 am when I came back through the mail didn’t seem so scary and I managed to clear it before starting on the blog. It could be my lucky night.

12 months ago. The BEST Father Christmas.

In memory of John Lennon who died 35 years ago today. This is one dream we shared and I still hope for.

Wednesday 9th Dec.

I want to find a time loop and go back to start this day again. If anyone has a Delorean they don’t want……….                                                                                                                                 I woke at 5.40 am sitting in my chair in the lounge. I had my dressing gown on and I’d put my cigarettes and lighter in the pocket but strangely enough, not my inhalor. I could say I was confused for a minute but it would only partly be true as I’m still confused now. I have no recollection of getting up and no knowledge of a reason why. To be honest I don’t even remember any trips to the loo after my light went off at 1.00 am.

So late it made sense as I was already in the right direction to go and take my meds and have some breakfast. For some reason I settled on my cold toast again  which I couldn’t finish today so a round and a half of bread doesn’t seem too bad does it?                                                                                                                                                                                           When I’d finished I went straight to my room and powered up the computer and signed in. It was gone 6.10 am so I expected problems but not what I got. Yet again trying to get onto the net brought up the message that it was unavailable would I like to kill or wait. I tried a wait. I tried a kill. In the end I had X out of it. I tried again a couple of times but nothing had changed. I rebooted and it was still stubbornly keeping me out. In the end I had to resort to system restore and I had to try that twice. It worked very slowly but when it came back up and I signed in, everything was hunky dory. It was 7.40 am at this point and since I was bald from the last time it happened I started depilating my legs instead …ladies you have my sympathy. As that celebrated poet said ‘ It’s The Pain Wot Keeps me Sane’ (David ap Rosser 2015).

The post level was alarmingly high but since there was no handy bridge to jump off I just ploughed into it. I ploughed up until 12.45 pm. That was when I reached the point where all mail had been seen to. I was aware that I created a problem for myself after answering someone posting of a poem with one of my own that I wrote there and then. Stupidly I posted it to my Buthidar’s blog as I thought it relevant to a few other posts I’d seen. This meant of course that people would read it and create more mail. Could I possibly be any more stupid? Probably, but let’s not go there eh. During the morning I received my 5th Christmas card and when I took a short break with Joey, I actually started my wrapping ( alone since none of you volunteered). There was also a knock at the doorbell and Rosetta the Postmistress had kindly brought me some mince pies and other cake she’d made. Aren’t people capable of such kindness.

I had a lamb hock and some boiled potatoes for lunch with mixed veg. It was nice and Joey was glad of the company. It only lasted about half an hour though before I was back here working. I promised him I’d return at 2.15 pm which promise I kept.I stayed there listening to him for just about the time it took (coincidentally) to watch The Dr Blake Mysteries, an excellent Australian series. After that I apologised and returned to work at 3.10 pm. I could only work until 4.15 pm as I wanted to prepare something before Dil arrived. As the time came I got my ladders out and put up a wire with a light bulb holder on it. It has an expanding grip on it for things like headboards. There’s a small vent in the ceiling which I attached it to then added a bulb. Down below at the plug end I inserted one of my remote plugs and then added the light plug to it. On test with the remote it worked fine.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 I was finished in time. I saw Dil  approach a few minutes later and waited until I heard the front door open. As soon as it was, I clicked the remote from inside the lounge and turned the light on in the hall so he could see coming through. He grinned as he entered and said I’d been having fun with my remote again. Then I was able to say I’d bought him a prezzie and give him the set I’d got him with twin remotes so he can leave them in two separate rooms if he wants. It will be a boon for his back. He knows his wife has got him a sound bar for Christmas and says he’ll have to move the TV etc then so that’s a perfect opportunity to fit the plugs.                                                                               I made him his cuppa rosie lea (tea) and we settled to the last of Flog It and then watched our quiz. The moment that was over battle commenced.                                                      The first game of Yahtzee I lost 4-2  and the more we played the saltier my  language got, especially when issuing threats. The second game went better and it  was 2-2 at which point I said “Well, I need to win the next two now for honours even”. He smirked. But with the help of some very kind dice giving me some lovely Yahtzees the smirk was wiped from his  face. That game, 4-2 to me so 6 all at the end. Couldn’t be better ( except 7-5 to me).                                                                                                                                          Out came the Trivial Pursuit Centenary Edition. It was a real chase today. I can claim I filled my dish first with the segments I needed but I struggled to reach the middle. We were doing a lot of laughing as whoever compiled the questions seemed to have a fixation on surveys and mainly done in 1997. It got to a point we didn’t even name the year. Anyway, time getting on and Dil reached the middle and got his question right so he came out ahead this week. I must memorise the answers for next week.

After Dil had left by the light of the new lamp of course I tidied up, washed the pots, took my meds and then locked Joey in as I wished him goodnight. I came through to deal with outstanding mail (67) and the blog. I should be in bed for midnight. I wonder if I should strap myself in tonight. It wouldn’t be so bad if I could learn to sleep wrap my gifts.

Live Long and Prosper Mr Spock.

Thursday 10th Dec

I was in bed for midnight and only read for half an hour before turning off the light. I decided against tying myself down in case the need for the loo was urgent. There was no early call for the loo but there was an early call. There I was at 1.53 am wide awake and working. By 3.03am I’d finished the outstanding mail in my box and was back to wrapping presents.Since I made the space to do it on my bed I was able to stop and answer any mail that came in.                                                                                                                         About 5.45 am I stopped to take my meds, have breakfast and make a cup of coffee. The horror when I found just one saccharine in the box, I might have to have real sugar (Yay). But no, I found another box of the damn things lifesavers. I came back with my coffee at 6.15 am and it didn’t look like the bomb had dropped at first, just 14 waiting. But after I’d done that first one the post box filled right up. 107 now, 111 next until it rose to 118 with me working as they came.                                                                         I’d made a real dent by the time 9.00 am arrived but I needed to go out to Pauline’s to renew my lottery tickets and get some shopping . When I got back I released Joey from captivity then carried on working. I couldn’t even have my Homes Under the Hammer today and I don’t think Joey is impressed.

Around 11.00 am I found a half of an hour to spend with Joey, cleaning the cage, getting fresh millet, food and water in. He obliged me by coming out so I could get on with it. I had another half hour at work then went to the chippie to get lunch. I could sit with it on my knee and have Bargain Hunt. I couldn’t finish the meal, if that was a small chips I dread to think what the normal or large portions are like. I washed the pots and settled for the auction. Big Mistake ! I was gone from about 12.50 pm to almost 2.00 pm.  I returned to work dreading what I’d see but there were only 43 in the box. Time to start work and solve a murder on the side, oh wait a minute, that was Dr Lucien Blake not me. I must have veered off course to watch it.  I finish the last email for now and decide to take a break, It was almost 4.30 pm so I felt no guilt. I started with Flog It, Joey likes the music, then came the two quizzes the second of which I dropped off in but just for about ten minutes. Joey went quiet.                                                               6.30 pm saw me back in my room on catch up, I was only destined to be there till 8.00 pm though as Thursday is new Big Bang night which was to be followed by The Last Kingdom at 9.00 pm which in turn was to be followed by a very fast sprint to my room for the blog and any remaining mail. No more wrapping tonight.

Mike walked in at about 9.15 am and I missed part of my programme answering “Who’s that and what did he do” questions about it. I gave him a coffee and tried ignoring both him  and the bird. As it ended I went to the kitchen and took my evening meds intending to go back to work. Mike had other ideas as he’d brought along another set of light for me to put in the hall. This time to be attached to the skirting boards and look like landing lights. Luckily they didn’t take too long to set up and should surprise Dil when he arrives next week. So much for my hard work the other day. Anyone in the market for a second hand lamp socket with a clamp for a bedhead? Only one previous owner.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 For some reason when I reached my room I started on the mail first so I persevered and cleared it by 11.20  pm. I’m writing quickly so I can get to bed by midnight.

Friday 11th Dec.

In bed midnight, light off 1.00 am. I woke at 5.15 am in exactly the same place I went to bed. What’s going on? There seems to be no consistency to this plot to send me ga-ga. Or perhaps it’s because Mike was here last night and they wanted no witness to their plans. Not that even the god’s could have woken him up given how many problems I have. Anyway, I went straight through to take my meds and then do the tablet trays for another week. Once that was done I took a pre-foodie, smoked a cigarette to help with timing and then had some cereal for breakfast. Yes, they still shake, rattle and roll snap, crackle and pop as they used too. Things took a turn for the worse when it came to doing coffee. I pierced the top of the pod before it was in exactly the right place. When the water came it was leaking everywhere and discharging coffee ground too. I had to move the machine while still going and mop up with copious amounts of kitchen roll. There was about an inch of coffee left in my mug and I’d have been chewing it. I returned to ‘The Office’ with a Pepsi Max, always my drink of the day.

I almost died of shock when Mike came through at 9.10 am. I finished a couple of messages and joined him in the lounge. Just after half past ( when I turned TV on ) I was asleep.It was only Mike going out at 10.00 am that woke me. Even though I knew I had a shed load of mail I watched Homes Under the Hammer with Joey then I turned off to come back to work. It was about 11.40 am , just before I broke for lunch, when I got a text from my friend Lis asking if I was in as she’d like to drop off my card and prezzie. I sent back “I’m in” and panicked. That usually means I have about 20 minutes before she arrives and though I have all the gifts for the family they’re not wrapped. Wouldn’t you know it, the gifts for Lis and her daughter Charlie are the worst to wrap since they have to go in a gift basket. Out came the baskets, the shredded paper, the polythene, ribbon and cards. Then I had to collect the mini wines and chocs from the kitchen and their main gifts which were in a bag in the big bedroom. I hate wrapping and I’ve never worked so hard at it in my life. I’f finished at midday and breather a sigh of relief.

By 12.30 pm I was a tad worried but also starving so I made my lunch knowing I could stop if she arrived. I finished and ate my lunch, still no Lis. At 1.00 pm I was very worried so sent a text with visions of some ambulance driver reading it. Lis apologised and said both my texts had just arrived and she was on her way home with frozen food. We’ve rebooked for Monday.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        I came back to work and tried to hit it hard but when I stopped at 2.15 pm there were 61 still in the list. I was away till 3.10 pm and it had gone to 81. But, my fingers flew over the keyboard and by 5.30 pm I was done. Time to join Joey for some of my quiz and wait to see what time Mike is arriving back tonight.                                                                At 6.00 pm I returned to my room to take on the mail again, I win battles but never wars.  I stayed there until 6.55 pm then returned to watch Antiques Road Trip. I’d just got into the lounge when my phone went, I got a text “On way bro”. I knew to have the kettle on about 8.00 pm. He got in about 8.10 pm and watched the rest of Mastermind with me then washed my hair as I took a shower. Said he felt guilty about a minor angina attack last night after putting my arms over my head to remove the clamped light socket. It’s not as though it was his fault as I chose to do it.

Anyhoo, after my shower I made us both a bit of supper for while we watched ‘Have I Got News For You’ . I hung around to watch the end of a programme on boy bands as it promised the 4 Tops ( I missed them) and the Temptations as well as groups like E17 and Take That. It was quite good. I couldn’t avoid coming through any longer though so I locked Joey in and wished him goodnight. Not too much mail was waiting for a change and it wasn’t long before I could start the blog.I’m looking at an 11.30 pm tonight so I’m rested for the great battle I face in the morning. Getting Mike out of his bed. Volunteers wanted. (Especially if they can wrap prezzies).

Saturday 12th Dec

It turned out to be midnight before I made bed after a visit from Mike about a phone call from his sister in  Canada. After a read it was 1.00  am before the light went out. I dawned again at 4.14 am. I hit the loo (much nicer than missing) then came back fingers crossed to log on. Everything went smoothly. There was quite a bit of mail which I dealt with what I hope was nicely until I came to a post about politics. I generally try to avoid controversy but this morning I couldn’t keep my fingers still, they have a big mouth.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                At 5.30 am I went to take my meds and have breakfast to hold me while out. Shreddies today. Very nice as I haven’t had them in ages. I did the bins and took the bags outside  then came back and collected my coffee. I had half an hour before the commencement of battle.

At 6.30 am I didn’t hear Mike’s alarm but went to make his coffee thinking he’d perhaps forgotten to set it. (See how generous I am with the benefit of the doubt). I woke him when I took the coffee through and had half a conversation to wake him up. He had to use real words and not just grunts. I returned to my room. I heard him swear as the alarm went off at 6.40 am, sigh at 6.50 am and give an annoyed grunt at 7.00 am. It was only then he moved which wasn’t bad I suppose as I’d only called him  the once as I was preoccupied.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Somehow, and don’t ask how, we were still out of the house by 7.30 am and on our way to the supermarket. Mike had a text from his sister in Canada and I suggested he speak to her on the phone while sitting in McDonald’s. While he did  that I went round the store getting what I needed. I’m not sure how the trolley got quite so loaded but when I reached the tills Mike was there and was joking about how much it would cost. He was wrong, it was more and he was even more pleased. If he had his way the moths in my wallet would be getting pneumonia about now.

We moved on from there and Mike pointed out a new shop on the estate where we go to Pets At Home sometimes. We’d gone past by then but he turned round and went back. I spent very little but I did get Joey some stuff from PAH. We headed back towards Flint and stopped at ALDI so I could buy John from MuJo some cherries in Kirsch for his Christmas stocking. Once that was done it was off to park by Temptations. Whilst he nipped in to use the loo I went over to my Homies store and got a couple of things. When we met up a few minutes later it was to get the chocolates from the boot of his car for the girls then go in to order our drinks and crumpets for him today. I had a strange mince pie which had a topping like a Bakewell tart ( and I don’t mean the streetwalker here folks).                                                                                                                           Using all my devious superior charm I managed to get Mike to agree to help me with some wrapping so as soon as we left Temptations we picked up some more paper and some nice labels, got in the car and headed for Holywell for lunch. We went to the Bell’s Cafe (not the Bells of St Mary’s) and had a small roast dinner before going home and unpacking the shopping.

Once everything was away Mike called a break so I came and worked on the mail. I was actually making headway when he came through to start. I got roped in too as he said he was to help not take over. Bloody Barrack room lawyers. We made a start  and did a few , especially the ones that would need to go first. Then when Mike started to wrap a few of his own ( cheek, on my time too) I slipped away to work again. By 5.15 pm I was practically there and was able to join Mike in the lounge. I watched Celebrity Mastermind while he followed his football team on his tablet.  From the occasional loud swear word I could tell how the game was going without taking my eyes of the TV. We had the news, our regular quiz then I fell asleep.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     I came too i time for Detective Murdoch and the rounded the night out with Murder in Paradise (which is excellent) before running back here to start work again. I’ did mail till 10.45 pm then started on this blog post. If there’s time later I’ll try and get through some more.

E.T. comes home again.From mother to son after 20+years.

I’m a poor little lamb who has lost his way, baa, baa, baa.

Have a Good Week everyone. Much joy, Huge Hugs and peace in the World find us all.